Auburn soccer had an impressive home debut in the Tiger Classic, winning the tournament without conceding a goal.
Their momentum continued as the Tigers took to the road to compete in the Rebel Classic, where they beat Memphis 3-0 and Minnesota 3-1.
So far, the defense has stepped up their play, something goalkeeper Alyse Scott said was a goal for this season.
"We're holding ourselves to a higher standard," Scott said. "We set goals, and last year, we didn't meet the goals that we wanted."
Last year's disappointing season stayed in the minds of Auburn players, and defender Kala Faulkner said it motivated them to improve their play during the offseason.
"Last season we didn't have the season we wanted," Faulkner said. "There were a lot of close games that if we wouldn't have let in one goal it could have changed our season. So there's been an emphasis to not let that happen again."
Head coach Karen Hoppa said she can already see improvement in the defense from last season.
"I think we've improved a ton defensively," Hoppa said. "We're deeper on our defensive line and our goalkeeping line. Kala (Faulkner) is even more experienced than she was last year, and last year she was an all-SEC selection. She's really leading the charge for us with that group, and I think we have a lot of players that can play back there and that helps us a ton."
According to Faulkner, Hoppa has put more emphasis on the defense this season and has stressed its importance.
"People say defense wins championships, and she's emphasized that," Faulkner said. "Each week, we do a defensive practice just to emphasize that so we can be one unit."
Hoppa said Faulkner has been the standout player in Auburn's defense, especially in the Tiger Classic, where she won defensive MVP honors.
"She had an MVP type performance this past weekend at our own tournament," Hoppa said of Faulkner. "She's been a leader both vocally and in her play. She's been the outstanding performer so far."
Scott has also taken note of Faulkner's performance so far this season.
"She's made an immense impact," Scott said. "She's such a natural leader on the field. As soon as she steps on the field she knows it's business. She's all about winning for the team, and she'll sacrifice everything to make sure we win."
Faulkner and the rest of the defense have bought in to Hoppa's defensive philosophy, and Hoppa has taken notice of their new attitude.
"It's a defensive mentality," Hoppa said. "We talk about our back line of four, they have to be one unit. If one of the defenders do something that the others aren't on the same page with, it can cost us a goal. So with our back line in particular, we stress that a ton. They are one unit, as one goes, they all go, and they really buy into that and it makes a difference for us."
With SEC opponents on the horizon, Hoppa said the Tigers need to keep improving to reach their ultimate goals.
"Our goal is to get better every week," Hoppa said. "We're happy at 5-1, and we've gotten better from first weekend to second weekend, but we're still not where we need to be. We need to build on the way our defense has played so far to get us ready for SEC play."
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