Following a 12-win season where Auburn was knocked out of the NCAA Tournament’s second round by a free kick from midfield, the Tigers are anxious to return to the field this spring.
“We’re very ready,” said junior forward Casie Ramsier. “We’ve been waiting since the end of November, so we’re ready to get back on the field and actually start playing.”
Auburn soccer is returning to the field for five exhibition games this spring, including four against SEC competition.
Auburn’s first game was Saturday, March 7, which was a 2-0 victory over Tennessee.
Up next are games against LSU on March 14, Georgia on March 19, Clemson on April 18 and Ole Miss on April 25.
Two of Auburn’s key pieces to its success this past season and moving forward are Casie and her twin sister, midfielder Brooke Ramsier.
Predicted to finish 11th in the SEC last season, the Tigers exceeded expectations and finished tied for fifth.
Brooke said they have been working hard in the offseason to continue to improve.
“(We’ve done) a lot of running because they want us to be fit, that’s obviously a big part of it,” Brooke said. “Then just focusing on the little details because the spring is really the time to improve rather than focus on games.”
The spring games are merely exhibition, but the Tigers are using the opportunity to prepare for fall competition.
“I think it will get us prepped and ready for the fall, so that way we’re testing our limits in the spring and not waiting until the fall to play harder teams,” Brooke said. “We’re getting in what we need to get in now and seeing how we need to improve and what we can work on.”
Though the ending to their fall season stung, Brooke said she thinks the season was positive and will only help them build on their success.
“(Going) from our freshman year where we didn’t even make the NCAA Tournament to making it sophomore year and getting to the second round was a lot of fun and a lot of good experience, especially because some of us were so young,” Brooke said.“So I think the way we ended kind of motivated us for this spring and will continue to motivate us next fall.”
It is only March, but the goals for the fall are already clear to Casie.
“Our goals for next fall are to break records,” Casie said. “We almost made it past the second round, which no Auburn team has done, and that’s our goal. Our ultimate goal, this year especially, is to look for an SEC title.”
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