TROY, Ala. - Irene Torres scored two goals and Alaina Uncapher equalized with a penalty in the closing moments as Troy soccer secured a 3-3 draw against Alcorn State on Sunday.
The brace marked the first two goals of Torres' Troy career. She has started her time at Troy creating chances, as she is now tied with Uncapher for the team lead in shots.
The Trojans, who were outshot 31-9, relied on important saves from goalkeeper Taylor Richards. Richards made eight saves, marking her fifth straight match with five or more saves.
Alcorn opened the scoring in the 18th minute, as Elive Larissa Joso Luma hammered home a loose ball from a set piece just outside the 18-yard box.
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The Trojans found the equalizer just five minutes later. Madisyn Marchesi swung in a free kick that Alaina Uncapher got a head on, sending the ball toward the goal, where Irene Torres headed it in from the goal line.
In the 34th minute, the Braves took the lead once again, as Larissa Joso Luma grabbed her brace, sneaking a shot from the penalty spot underneath the right arm of Richards.
The 2-1 scoreline held at halftime.
The second half was filled with quality chances for Alcorn State, which outshot the Trojans 20-4 in the period.
Despite the uneven chances, Troy outscored Alcorn 2-1 in the second half, starting with Torres finishing past the Alcorn goalkeeper with her left foot in the 67th minute. The breakaway chance was created by Uncapher's lead pass that set up the goal.
Just two minutes later, the Braves took the lead yet again, as Annick Zouma fired a left-footed strike into the back of the net.
Alcorn continued to dominate possession; however, Troy won a corner in the 87th minute after a Torres shot was deflected out of bounds. Off the corner, Torres was taken down inside the box, and a penalty was awarded to the Trojans.
Uncapher stepped up and scored the penalty off the goalkeeper's glove. The goal secured the 3-3 draw and a four-point performance for Uncapher.
Quotable – head coach Jake Wyman
"That was a tricky match for sure. I thought the girls battled for 90 minutes once again. We went down 1-0, came back, conceded again, equalized, and eventually came back and tied the game at the end. I think the girls deserve a lot of credit for how they hung in there. Alcorn is a good side, they have two or three really special players. I thought we bent a little bit but we ultimately didn't break. It wasn't our best performance, especially in possession. I thought the girls hung in there, and despite a poor performance, gave themselves a chance in the end."
Notables
- Alaina Uncapher became the first Troy player to score a goal and assist on two goals since Oct. 6, 2019, when Kiersten Edlund finished with the same stat line in a 4-1 win against Georgia Southern.
- Irene Torres became the first Troy player to score two goals in a match this season and the first since Jiselle Daniels' brace against Southeastern Louisiana last season.
- Madisyn Marchesi earned an assist on Troy's opening goal, moving her into a tie for second on the team with five points alongside Irene Torres, behind Alaina Uncapher's team-leading nine points.
- Troy was outshot 31-9, marking the fifth straight match the Trojans have recorded fewer shots than their opponents. The minus-22 shot differential was tied for Troy's worst of the season, matching the 27-5 differential at Alabama on Aug. 27.
- Taylor Richards made eight saves, moving her season total to 41 stops. Her 5.17 saves per game rank third in the Sun Belt.
- First-year Jamie Doust made her first career start.
- Troy is now 3-0-1 against Alcorn State.
Up next
The Trojans begin Sun Belt play on Thursday when they visit in-state rival South Alabama. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. with the match streaming on ESPN+.
