CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (August 31, 2025) – The University of North Alabama soccer team blanked Southeast Missouri Sunday afternoon, 3-0 in Cape Girardeau. Alice Bussey, Alana Owens and Anna Fugarino all netted a goal for the highlight day. 

North Alabama (2-1-2) earn back-to-back wins this week which allows head coach Chris Walker to snag his 99th win in the process — now just one away from the 100 career win mark with the ability to do it on his home turf come Thursday against Alabama State.  

Each week, the Lions have grown offensively and now have put out their best showing to date. The 18  shots, with nine on goal, and the three goals all are now season-highs for the team.  

The Captain, Bussey, recorded her second goal of the week after she struck first in the 14th minute. Owens and Fugarino both earn their firsts of the season — four Lions have created the five goals in the past two games.  

SEMO (0-5) were drowned out by the North Alabama defense as the Redhawks only mustered two shots with one on goal, which graduate keeper Madison Vukas turned into a save. 

Vukas turned a clean sheet today, as she recorded her third shutout of the season for UNA. She currently leads the ASUN and is the only goalkeeper in the conference to have multiple shutouts. 

Fugarino led the Lions with four shots and three on goal. Owens had three shots for herself, where two of hers came on goal, while Bussey had two shots and one on goal. 

Lexi Vernsey and Maddie Reynolds put up two shots while Molly Parham, Lilly Ford, Emerson Nieroda, Giada Aldini and Mya Barr all added one apiece for the showing. Parham, Nieroda and Reynolds each had one shot on goal.  

The North Alabama offense outdid SEMO in every way today with 18 shots to the Redhawks two, 9-1 in shots on goal and 4-1 on corners.

Defensively, Adelyn Speight, Lilly Ford, Gracie Tyrrell, Avery Smith and Langley Wallace congested the Redhawk offense while players such as Avery Stojakovich and Gizelle El Assal suffocated the passing lanes to only allow the two shots. 

As mentioned before, only three starters from 2024 have started through the first five games. With all the new additions, the Lions needed time to gel some. 

The gel was found in the 14th minute, as Owens had the ball in the middle of the pitch with a defender on her back and one in front. She booted it to Bussey on the left, who had a clear shot as the Redhawk defender was late to rotate over. She laced it into the top left corner, leaving the SEMO keeper no chance for the save. 

The Cape Girardeau road trip must have had lots of time for bonding as Bussey returned the favor in the 21st minute. 

Bussey raced down the field with a Redhawk in tow. The defender tried to bump Bussey, but went tumbling herself instead giving the captain a one-on-one with a defender. Instead of going for the score, she passed it inside to Owens, whose defender had a late rotation but still managed to make the shot difficult. The junior forward contorted her body around the Redhawk to put it into the left side of the net — her first career goal as a Lion.  

After going up 2-0, it was the defense's turn to dominate the game. The Lions shut down any opportunity that Southeast Missouri had to get into the box, closing off any would be passes to the inside.  

Much of the same continued in the second half for UNA. Defensive stands that allowed zero confidence to be built for SEMO as well as a physical game from the team as four yellow cards were awarded to four different Lions. 

However, the sophomore forward Fugarino had one more firework in the bag for the 80th minute. Stojakovich pushed the ball up to Meg Welsh on the right side who crossed it into the box. Fugarino clashed with a Redhawk who bounced to the ground which left a wide open shot on the goal for the final stamp on the game. 

The Lions now have five goals in the last two games of the young season. Two of the goals belonging to Bussey have pushed her into the eighth spot of the Atlantic Sun Conference for goals scored.  

Currently, North Alabama is one of two teams in the conference to have a multi-game win streak.

Twenty-five players saw action in the Labor Day weekend win. A restful day only saw two players play all 90 minutes in midfielder Adelyn Speight and goalkeeper Vukas. Tyrrell and Stojakovich were the next closest with over 80 minutes played. 

Bussey logged 39 minutes as Owens, Avery Smith and Charlotte Sobotka notched 43 a piece. 

Sophomore defender Maggie Brzica, freshman defender Natalie Heinig and freshman forward Camryn LeTellier all earned their first game minutes of the season.  

North Alabama brings Alabama State to Florence for a Thursday, Sept. 4 home game at 7 p.m. at the Cox Creek Spots Complex. The Lions look to earn Walker's 100th win.  
  
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