PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – For the first time in program history, Alcorn State women's soccer earned a Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament victory, rallying to defeat Texas Southern 2-1 on Thursday night at Lady Panther Soccer Field. The win propels the Lady Braves into the SWAC semifinals, where they will face Grambling State on Friday, November 7, at 6 p.m.
The opening half saw Texas Southern control much of the early possession, capitalizing in the 33rd minute when Kamara Bradley scored from close range off a feed from Liliane Clase Baez. Despite trailing 1-0 at the break, the Lady Braves regrouped with energy and purpose, flipping the match in their favor with a spirited second-half surge.
Midfielder Ainara Aldeano delivered the spark Alcorn needed, striking twice in the final 30 minutes to complete the comeback. Her first goal came in the 62nd minute on a composed finish after a pinpoint assist from All-SWAC Midfielder of the Year Annick Zouma. Eleven minutes later, the duo connected again — Zouma threading a perfect pass that Aldeano buried for her fifth goal of the season and second of the night.
From there, the Lady Braves' defense tightened, holding off a late push from Texas Southern. Goalkeeper Bame Mokime was sensational between the posts, collecting nine saves on 10 shots faced to secure the win. Her poise and leadership anchored a defensive unit that held the Lady Tigers scoreless through the final 57 minutes.
Offensively, Alcorn outshot Texas Southern 14-18 overall but controlled the pace in the second half, producing 12 of those attempts and eight shots on goal. Zouma led the attack with four shots and three on frame, while Aldeano registered three shots and two on target — both goals proving decisive. Valentina Bernal added two shots, with steady contributions from Rebecca Kwoba, Mariana Ruiz Montoya, and Sophia Lopez.
The backline — composed of Larissa Joso Luma, Yeirdan Padilla, Viviana Sanchez, and Veronica Smith — anchored the defensive effort, frustrating Texas Southern's advances and protecting Mokime in key moments.
With the win, Alcorn improves to 5-7-4 overall and continues its remarkable turnaround season under head coach Ken Kabiru. After returning to competition this fall, the Lady Braves have shown resilience and belief, turning adversity into momentum at the perfect time.
The Lady Braves will look to extend their historic run when they face No. 2 seed Grambling State in Friday's semifinal matchup. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at Lady Panther Soccer Field in Prairie View, Texas.
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