Diving header by Lewis wins key SWAC game for Alabama State
Ariela Lewis
This one, though, was probably her greatest
The junior forward scored the game-winning goal off a diving header in the 86th minute to provide a dramatic 3-2 win over Prairie View A&M at home.
Lewis scored twice and assisted on the other goal as Alabama State remained in the hunt for a higher seed at the SWAC Tournament next week.
“The game winner was just me getting a fire under me in the sense that we were not gonna tie or lose to this team,” she told me. “We had been in their final third for so long I knew it was coming. I just didn’t know it’d result in a diving header into the goal.”
Alabama State improved to 6-3 in the SWAC, good enough for fourth in the standings. Eight of the 11 teams qualify for the conference tournament.
The team started the year 0-7-1 but salvaged its season with a strong showing in league.
“The team is pumped,” Lewis said. “We’ve had some ups and downs, but I think we’ve learned from them and have begun to prepare to see some of these teams again in the tournament.”
Lewis, of Dimond High fame, leads the Alabama State with seven goals, eight assists and 22 points in 13 games.
She missed last season with a knee injury.
This was the second time this year that Lewis scored two goals in one game.
She can also pass and her corner kick set up Alabama State’s first goal. It was also a header.
“The corner I sent in couldn’t have been more perfect,” Lewis said. “It found my teammate’s head and she is really good in the air, so I knew if I found her it would be a goal and it couldn’t have been more awesome.”