Early arrival. 15 minutes before Alabama made history, bleachers overflowed. On Iron Bowl Eve in Tuscaloosa, the Alabama Soccer Complex was packed. Alabama did it.
A shootout broke a scoreless deadlock with about 23 minutes left. Duke startled the audience with two goals in three minutes to force overtime after Alabama scored twice in five minutes.
Reyna Reyes scored the goal that put the Crimson Tide two wins from a national title in the first extra period. Reyes’s 98th-minute goal kept Alabama’s dream season alive.
Alabama (23-2-1) goes to the NCAA soccer College Cup final four. The national semifinals are next Friday in Cary, North Carolina, and the title game is on Dec. 5 at 5 p.m. CT.
Alabama, which had never won an NCAA tournament game until last season, won on Friday. Duke, in its eighth NCAA quarterfinal in 12 years, lost the fourth of the season.
“The last three or four days, I knew it was coming,” Alabama coach Wes Hart said. “Many doubted us. Many said “Duke.” ACC. 20-odd youth national team players. Since 2015, Hart has coached Alabama. He struggled to describe his emotions in this important moment despite their buildup.
Reyes couldn’t remember her goal of sending this team to Cary. She saw the cross enter the box and hoped it would come her way. Gianna Paul’s maiden goal ignited the audience. Duke scored after Ashlynn Serepca gave Alabama a two-goal lead with 18:49 left.
Michelle Cooper stunned the home fans with two breakaway goals at 14:29 and 11:09. Two breakaways knotted the game Alabama had controlled all night.
Alabama outshot Duke 26-12 with 12 on goal to Duke’s seven. Alabama will reach the College Cup with the same attack that got them there.