Lady Tigers claim comeback win over Alabama A&M in SWAC opener

HOUSTON – The Texas Southern Lady Tigers opened Southwestern Athletic Conference play Friday with a 2-1 win over visiting Alabama A&M.
 
At Alexander Durley Stadium on the TSU campus, Alisa Holloway and Tiana Humphrey both scored goals a short time past the half hour after both Lady Tiger players started the match on the bench. The goals erased an early 1-0 Lady Bulldogs and helped TSU snap a four-match losing skid.
 
The Lady Tigers improved to 3-5 as they opened league play with a victory for the second consecutive season. Alabama A&M saw its overall record fall to 1-9.
 
The visiting side limited TSU's chances early in the first half before claiming a 1-0 lead on Estelle Esperance's strike. The 5-foot-1-inch senior received a pass from Andrea Chacon into the penalty area and then got past TSU goalkeeper Alexis Robles for a goal from eight yards away.
 
Alabama A&M successfully disrupted TSU's offense for a full half-hour. Visiting goalkeeper Alexandra Desgagne was not asked to make a save until the 31st minute, when she turned away Kayla Smith's strike.
 
Holloway relieved Smith on the next dead ball, and then wasted little time putting the Lady Tigers on the board when received a long throw-in pass from Briana Norwood for a high-percentage strike inside the goal box. A mere eight seconds separated Holloway's entry into the match and her goal in the official box score.
 
The sudden change in momentum stunned the Lady Bulldogs, who nearly found themselves behind in the 37th minute when Paige Hayward recovered a turnover and fired a 30-yard strike that passed inches over the crossbar.
 
TSU claimed the lead for good when Humphrey, in the match for only two minutes at that point, finished a perfect crossing pass from Kailand Thompson into the goal box. Raina Kablawi was also credited with an assist when she started the play with an accurate pass to Thompson down the right touchline.
 
The Lady Tigers' defense allowed Alabama A&M few scoring chances after the restart, as Robles was tested once in the 76th minute. Norwood, Bailey Blalock, and Makayla Johnson each played 90 minutes on the back line, frustrating the visitors throughout the second half.
 
Texas Southern returns to action Sunday when they host Alabama State. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. The Lady Hornets opened SWAC play with a  2-1 win at Prairie View A&M on Friday.