After scoring only three goals on 45 shots in their first two games, the Alabama women’s soccer team offense finally caught fire in a 4-0 win over UAB to improve to 3-0 on the season.

“It was an important test that we passed,” head coach Todd Bramble said. “Sunday afternoons on the road, those can be difficult games and I thought we managed the situation very well today.”

The game was a hard fought standstill for most of the first half until the 39th minute when senior defender Josie Rix was able to send a through ball past the UAB defense to sophomore forward Pia Rijsdijk who beat the goalie one on one to give Alabama a 1-0 lead. Rijsdijk said getting the first goal was a big momentum turn they were able to use the rest of the game.

“I felt after the first goal we calmed down and we did a good job with coaching and communication,” she said. “It was kind like, ok, we got this and we just got to keep playing hard from there.”

The Tide added to its lead early in the second half when junior midfielder Molly Atherton one-timed a cross by senior forward Lindsey Sillers past the keeper. Bramble said the second goal was crucial because it allowed them to control the rest of the game in a way they didn’t do in their last game against Samford.

“I really pleased with after we scored the second goal we didn’t show any signs of letting our foot off the gas,” Bramble said. “That was something we talked about after coming out of Friday night’s game where we let up after we got the second goal against Samford and let them back in it.”

From there the Tide dominated the rest of the game, adding two late goals by sophomore forward Theresa Diederich and junior forward Kendall Khanna to close out the match. Junior goalie Shelby Church, who had two saves in her second clean sheet of the season, said the team’s strong chemistry has a lot to do with the team’s early success so far.

The Tide will travel to Mobile next to take on South Alabama on Friday, Aug. 30.