Early in the season it became apparent that the University of Alabama women’s soccer program had turned the corner after several years of respectable output.
After a 2-1 start that saw ‘Bama begin play in the Sunshine State, Alabama came home for a critical game against No. 18 Clemson. To the surprise of many, ‘Bama won that game handily, pitching a 3-0 shootout. With some momentum on their side, the 3-1 Tide began a critical three-game road trip through the entire state of Utah, where they would face the Utes, Utah Valley, and No. 6 BYU. Riding a hot hand, the Tide easily dispatched Valley, tied the Utes in a defensive draw, and beat the Cougars — all on the road.