Alabama
2-0-0, 0-0-0
Memphis
1-1-0, 0-0-0
| Team | 1 | 2 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Memphis | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Clutch Avery Brown Header Secures Ranked Road Win for Soccer over No. 21 Memphis
8/15/2026 11:27:00 PM | Soccer
The Crimson Tide snaps a 41-game home winning streak from the Tigers
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – With less than 10 seconds remaining in the game, a set piece from Melina Rebimbas set up Avery Brown for a game-winning header as Alabama took down No. 21 Memphis, 2-1, Saturday night.
The win for Alabama (2-0-0) snaps a 41-game winning streak by No. 21 Memphis (1-1-0) on their home field, with the Crimson Tide as just the third team to defeat the Tigers at the Billy J. Murphy Soccer/Track & Field Complex since it opened in 2017. The win is also Alabama's first true road win over a ranked team since defeating BYU in Provo, Utah on Sept. 1, 2022.
Alabama took the first lead of the game in the 28th minute as Larkin Thomason scored on a penalty kick, already her second in as many games this season. Memphis knotted up the score shortly after the start of the second half, knocking one in from a few feet out to make it 1-1. With just 40 seconds of game time remaining, a Memphis foul just outside the box gave Alabama a late set piece opportunity. Letting the clock run down to about 10 seconds, Rebimbas lofted the pass in as Brown connected on the header into the bottom left corner of the goal to put the Tide ahead 2-1, which ultimately proved final.
From Head Coach Wes Hart
"What a good team [Memphis] is. I've got nothing but respect for the job they've done. I'm not surprised they haven't lost here very often. That's a tough team to play. I give our players all the credit. They battled and competed. I thought we had a little more control of the game in the first half. Memphis made some good adjustments at halftime and they probably had a little more of the run of play in the second half, but we were able to create a couple good looks regardless. I think our depth showed tonight. We got exactly what we asked for out of our reserves.
"We need this type of competition to get us ready for the SEC portion of our schedule. To the non-soccer fans, they probably wouldn't look at Saint Louis and Memphis as big results but anyone that's been around women's college soccer knows those are big results. Especially on the road against two teams who have a very good chance of winning their leagues and making the NCAA Tournament. It's massive from an RPI standpoint as well as a team confidence standpoint. They should be feeling good about themselves."
Highlights
- The win was Alabama's 25th over a ranked opponent in program history and just its sixth on the road
- The Crimson Tide's last road win over a ranked opponent came on Aug. 23, 2022 against BYU in Provo, Utah
- Alabama snapped a 41-game winning streak by Memphis on its home field and the Crimson Tide is just the third team to defeat the Tigers at home since its current facility opened in 2017
- Avery Brown's goal was the second of her career, scoring in last year's season opener against Louisiana Tech (Aug. 14, 2025)
- Larkin Thomas' penalty kick goal is already her second in as many games this season, making her 8-for-8 in her career
Scoring Summary
- 28' | Larkin Thomason scored the first goal of the game on a penalty kick (1-0)
- 47' | Memphis tied it up early in the second half (1-1)
- 90' | Avery Brown connected on a header with less than 10 seconds remaining in the game (2-1)
Up Next
- Thursday, Aug. 20 vs. No. 6 TCU – Tuscaloosa, Ala. – 7 p.m. CT
Players Mentioned
Team Stats
Larkin Thomason (1)
ALA Larkin Thomason PENALTY KICK GOAL.
27:07
Taliah Brooks (1)
Assisted By: Ai Kitagawa
GOAL by MEM Brooks, Taliah Assist by Kitagawa, Ai.
46:44
Avery Brown (1)
Assisted By: Melina Rebimbas
GOAL by ALA Brown, Avery Assist by Rebimbas, Melina.
89:54
