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(17) Texas A&M soccer looks to get back on track against Alabama on Thursday night

The No. 17 Texas A&M Aggies look to stay atop the SEC Western Division standings Thursday when they host the Alabama Crimson Tide
Credit: kags

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — The No. 17 Texas A&M Aggies look to stay atop the SEC Western Division standings Thursday when they host the Alabama Crimson Tide in a 6:30 p.m. contest at Ellis Field. 

The match streams on SEC Network+ with David Ellis (play-by-play) and Jeff Given on the call. The match may be heard on 97.3 FM KAGC in the Brazos Valley. Fans may listen to every match worldwide, on RadioAggieland.com, the Radio Aggieland app and 12thMan.com/live.

 

At 3-1-0 in SEC play, the Aggies share the top spot with Arkansas and Auburn. The Maroon & White are one game behind Florida (4-0-0) and South Carolina (4-0-0) in the overall league standings. After missing action in last Sunday’s 3-1 loss at Florida while training with the Mexico National Team, Jimena Lopez, the nation’s leader in assists, returns to the lineup. She has a team-leading 23 points on six goals and 11 assists. as she participates in a training camp with the Mexico National Team.

 

Ally Watt has 22 points on the season with a team-high eight goals to go with six assists.

 

Texas A&M (9-2-2) has been stout on defense, posting a 0.60 goals-against average and nine shutouts.

 

Their next victory guarantees the Aggies a winning campaign in 2019. Texas A&M has finished with a winning record in all its previous 26 seasons. The Aggies’ run is the fourth-longest active streak, trailing only North Carolina (37), Virginia (32) and Stanford (31).

 

Alabama enters the fray with mounting confidence after extra-time wins at Tennessee (2-1, 2ot) and versus Mississippi State (3-2, ot). Prior to that, the Crimson Tide suffered SEC losses against Arkansas (1-0) and South Carolina (5-2).  Alabama is 7-4-1 overall with non-conference victories against Utah (3-0), Rice (2-1), Lamar (5-0), Jacksonville State (3-0) and North Texas (3-1). The Crimson Tide played Chattanooga to a 1-1 draw and suffered defeats against BYU (1-0) and Virginia Tech (2-0).

 

Casey Wertz leads the Crimson Tide with 13 points on four goals and five assists. Riley Mattingly has added nine points on four goals and one assist. Alex Plavin has played 808 of 1,120 minutes in goal, posting a 1.22 goals-against average and two shutouts. A.J. Crooks played the entirety of the last two matches in the metalwork. She owns a 1.15 goals-against average and one shutout in 312 minutes.

 

The Aggies own a 7-3-0 advantage in the all-time series against Alabama. Last season, Alabama notched a 1-0 victory in Tuscaloosa. Nealy Martin scored in the 79th minute as the Maroon & White were unable to take advantage of a 21-9 advantage in shots.

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