The Alabama Crimson Tide soccer team will try to rebound from a loss to LSU when it travels to face South Carolina Friday.
With the LSU loss behind them, the Crimson Tide (5-7, 3-2 SEC) can turn its attention to the 11-1-1 Gamecocks. Coach Todd Bramble said South Carolina is a strong team that will put up a challenge.
“It’s going to be a totally different type of game and environment [against South Carolina],” Bramble said. “We’re going up to Columbia to play a night game where it’s only one game on the weekend, so we’re going to put everything into it. It’s going to be very fast. It will be a lot different, but we’re super motivated to play.”
Bramble said he is confident in how his team has played and will play this weekend.
“I like where our team is at right now,” Bramble said. “I liked how we played the last two weekends, and I’m fully confident that it will continue.”
Senior Sophie Campise scored the only goal against LSU Sunday – her first goal of the season.
Campise, a transfer student from Texas, joined the Crimson Tide her junior year after deciding Austin, Texas, wasn’t where she wanted to be.
“It was the best decision for me to make by transferring to a program with a coach I knew,” Campise said. “I knew Todd [Bramble]. He coached me [before]. When I was looking to transfer, the first thing I asked the girls on the team was, ‘How’s Todd?’ Obviously it was all good things, and that was it for me.”
Campise said one reason for transferring was to try something new and exciting, and the senior has indeed made big strides since joining the SEC.
Last season, Campise had a .750 shots-on-goal percentage while playing in 17 games. This season, Campise has been a permanent fixture in the starting lineup since Sept. 8 against Denver.
“I think one of the biggest things for me this year is playing everywhere,” Campise said. “I’ve never had a real position that I’ve stuck to. Being completely attacking-minded and going on the field knowing my role and knowing what I need to do has been big. I get to focus on specific things, and it’s been really helpful to my development this year.”
Though she’s only contributed to the Crimson Tide for two years, Bramble said Campise has helped with the team a lot.
“From the moment she stepped on campus, she had a great leadership quality,” Bramble said. “She’s really engaging, intelligent and well-spoken. She’s got great insight into how successful teams operate, and she’s brought that to our team.”
