Alabama Drops 2-1 Heartbreaker to No. 8 Vanderbilt in SEC Quarterfinals

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Alabama took an early 1-0 lead against No. 8 Vanderbilt (14-3-1) in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals, but a red card forced the Tide (11-8-1) to play with 10 players for the remaining 76 minutes. Vanderbilt capitalized on the advantage and secured a 2-1 comeback victory.

Match Summary

Nadia Ramadan opened scoring for Alabama in the 12th minute after a quick give-and-go with Larkin Thomason. Just two minutes later, goalkeeper Madi Munguia was sent off for denying a goal-scoring opportunity, setting up a penalty for Vanderbilt’s Olivia Stafford, who equalized the game.

The score remained tied until the 50th minute when a deflected shot landed at the feet of Reagan Pentz, who converted the game-winning goal for Vanderbilt.

Coach’s Reaction

“Disappointed with the result today, but could not be prouder of our team’s performance. We came out and dominated the start of the game and scored a great goal to take an early lead. The red card a few minutes later, obviously, changed the game. We made a tactical adjustment and decided to defend in a low block and looked to break out and counterattack. I thought the team executed the game plan extremely well. Despite being down a player, we managed to create a couple big chances, but unfortunately, did not capitalize on them.”

The coach added that the team would rest and recover before the NCAA Tournament.

Key Highlights

Alabama led 1-0 after 12 minutes with a goal from Nadia Ramadan.
Goalkeeper Madi Munguia received a red card in the 14th minute.
Olivia Stafford scored the tying goal for Vanderbilt on a penalty kick.
Reagan Pentz netted the winner for Vanderbilt in the 50th minute.

Author’s Summary

Alabama’s early momentum faded after a costly red card, allowing Vanderbilt to rally with two goals and advance in the SEC Tournament.

Alabama Athletics — 2025-11-05