Auburn soccer climbed into the No. 11 national ranking in the United Soccer Coaches’ Poll and had two players named to the Top Drawer Team of the Week following a 3-0 defeat of rival Georgia.
The Tigers received the No. 11 spot after opening up conference play with a 1-0 record and a 7-0-1 record overall with the team’s single loss coming at the hands, or rather feet, of No. 1 FSU.
Sophomore midfielder Anna Haddock earned her third Top Drawer Team of the Week honor in just 13 games played this season while National Women's Soccer League draftee and Auburn defender Alyssa Malonson earned her first of the season.
“Both Anna and Alyssa had key performances in our win against Georgia,” said head coach Karen Hoppa. “Anna was dominant in the midfield and scored two great goals, including the game winner. Alyssa had a tremendous game defensively, especially considering she played 81 minutes at center back and was instrumental in shutting out one of the top scoring teams in the country.”
Haddock scored two goals in the matchup against Georgia earning her second brace of the season and a SEC Offensive Player of the Week honor. Haddock leads the Tigers in scoring and is tied for fourth in points registered in the SEC. The sophomore’s seven goals in eight games played is second only to former Auburn forward Tammy Waine who scored 12 goals in eight games during the 2000 season.
Fifth-year senior Alyssa Malonson played all 90 minutes in Friday’s matchup and with the help of the Tiger back line and held the countries’ leader in shots per game to their lowest shot count of the season.
The experienced left back had to move to center back after a Tiger injury but maintained the same ferocity and aggressiveness in the middle of the field that she regularly shows on the left side.
Georgia was ranked No. 2 in the nation for goals scored and had a six-game winning streak before being handed their first shutout loss of the season by the Tigers.
Auburn’s next challenge comes from Tennessee 7-1-0 (0-1-0) in a road game at Knoxville on Sept. 23 at 6 p.m. CST.
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Larry is a senior studying journalism with a minor in sociology. He is from Enterprise, Alabama and is in his third year with The Auburn Plainsman.
Twitter: @ReportingLarry
