Western Kentucky University Athletics

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – WKU Soccer dropped its season opener in opposition to No. 5 Alabama 63-0 on Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

The Hilltoppers (0-1) have been damage by two early turnovers that the Crimson Tide (1-0) changed into touchdowns, earlier than Alabama added a fast strike to take a 21-0 lead into the second quarter. Alabama doubled its result in 42-0 by halftime, and added 14 factors within the third quarter and a landing within the fourth to shut out the 63-0 resolution. 

NOTABLES

• Attendance for the sport was 100,077, marking the fifth-highest attendance ever for a recreation that WKU has performed in. Three of the highest 5 attendances have come in opposition to Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
• Moussa Barry posted a career-high 4 catches. He completed with 27 receiving yards.
• Cole Maynard averaged 44.8 yards per punt on 9 punts, with three touring over 50 yards, together with an extended of 54 yards.
• Hosea Wheeler recorded a sack and compelled fumble within the first quarter. It was his second profession pressured fumble, with the opposite at No. 6/4 Ohio State throughout the 2023 season.
• Nazir Ward led the Hilltoppers with 5 tackles, which marked a profession excessive for the sophomore cornerback.

QUOTABLE

• “Actually good soccer staff we performed tonight within the College of Alabama. I inform you, they did the whole lot you are speculated to do. They seem to be a large, bodily soccer staff. They performed nicely. They have been very cohesive with what they did. They bought after us fairly good, so hat’s off to them. They’re 1-0. They have a terrific employees, nice staff and I count on nice issues out of them this yr. I believe they are going to actually problem lots of people. So far as our soccer staff, at occasions I believed we did some good issues. I believed we moved the ball nicely, fairly good within the first half. Clearly the turnovers price us with the interceptions. Defensively, we had approach too many explosive performs, as everyone knows, within the first half. Protection settled down a bit of bit within the second half and began to seek out their groove a bit of bit. Offensively, we simply could not get going within the second half. Good soccer staff we performed, and, man, I am wanting ahead to watching these guys play the remainder of the yr.” – WKU Soccer Head Coach Tyson Helton, on the loss to No. 5 Alabama.
• “It is one thing you study to do as an athlete. Robust losses like this, you study to simply wipe them out and concentrate on the following week.” – WKU broad receiver Easton Messer, on being prepared for subsequent week’s recreation in opposition to EKU.
• “Through the week, we centered on eat, simply be bodily, assault and it is all-out effort. Simply go and assault the ball, and I believe that is what we did tonight. Though we got here up quick, I really feel like we performed with good effort the entire recreation. I am happy with our protection.” – WKU defensive deal with Hosea Wheeler, on WKU’s defensive effort.

NEXT UP

• The Hilltoppers will host Jap Kentucky (0-1) for the house opener at Houchens-Smith Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 7. Will probably be WKU’s white out recreation, and Hilltopper followers are inspired to put on white to the sport.

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