NASHVILLE, Tenn. (October 9, 2025) – The University of North Alabama women's soccer team ended Lipscomb's win streak Thursday night with a 1-1 draw in Nashville.

Sophomore midfielder Gizelle El Assal scored her first collegiate goal in the 70th minute to strike first. El Assal made a nifty move to get past a pair of Bisons and net it into the right side of the cage.

With the draw, North Alabama (6-4-4, 2-2-2 ASUN) bounced back from their Sunday match against Lipscomb, a 3-1 loss. Entering the game, the Bisons had been outscoring opponents 14-2 through conference play. Graduate goalkeeper Madison Vukas saw 22 shots tonight and recorded eight saves.

Lipscomb (9-3-2, 5-0-1) did have 22 shots but thanks to the UNA defense had more shots off target (13) than on target (nine). 

Defender Lilly Ford, who missed the Sunday matchup, was back in the lineup this evening. The junior allowed the defense to shift back into its normal positions. Ford, along with fellow defenders Avery Smith, Gracie Tyrrell and Adelyn Speight, made several pivotal plays inside the box to negate scoring opportunities. 

The Lions have four draws so far this season and two in conference; this is the first draw that ended in scored goals. El Assal becomes the ninth Lion to score this season and the third to record her first career goal. 

Sometimes, a team just needs a shot. North Alabama had five for the evening slate with three on target, which became enough to end Lipscomb's hot streak. 

All five shots were created from different Lions — outside of El Assal. Alana Owens, Anna Fugarino, Alice Bussey and Smith created the other four. Bussey and Smith had the two on target shots. 

One of Lipscomb's 13 off-target shots went first in the game before Bussey returned with her own shot that was cleaned up for the save. 

As the Bisons continued to push, the backline did not fold. Ford and Speight trapped one opponent in the box to take away another scoring opportunity. The defense combined to block or push nine first half shots off target. 

However, the 34th minute came where Lipscomb had one of its better opportunities. Jade Simone Prejean had four shots for the game but had a point-blank chance with Vukas. She put one on target that the keeper wiped away before Prejean put another shot up that sailed out of bounds as the Lion defenders hounded her.

The half closed in a scoreless draw. When the Lions returned to the pitch, so did the attack. 

Quickly, pressure was applied to the Lipscomb defense as Bussey, Owens, Charlotte Sobotka and Lexi Vernsey started to press forward. The Bisons were littered across the field, but the quartet found passing lanes to open it up. 

As the Lions battled, it was not until the 70th minute that they broke through. 

North Alabama put the ball inside the box but it was cleared back out to the middle. Who else was lurking but the captain, Speight, who put it right back inside the 18.

A Bisons defender headed it before another tried to do the same before it landed right at the foot of El Assal. Two defenders were draped on her back with one approaching from the front. The sophomore stopped, settled and allowed one to fly past her before lacing it into the right of the net. 

However, an 83rd minute goal from Lipscomb tied the game. The Lions made one final push in the remaining minutes before the game ended in their fourth draw of the season. 

Three Lions — Vukas, Speight and Ford — played the full 90 minutes. Smith logged 85 minutes for the next highest on the team. A total of 21 girls saw the field in tonight's draw with Fugarino getting 53 minutes out of the reserve spot. 

UNA has four games remaining this season and head to Clarksville, Tenn. next to compete with Austin Peay at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 12 at Morgan Bros. Field. 

 
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