The Tigers will host their alumni weekend to recognize past athletes as Auburn will face off against No. 15 South Carolina in Auburn, Alabama, on Sept. 29 at 6:30 p.m. CST on SEC+.
Auburn (5-3-3) is coming off of a well-fought game versus Ole Miss (5-3-2) that ended in a 0-0 draw. Previous to tying against Ole Miss on Sept. 24, the Tigers won 3-2 against Missouri (5-3-2) on Sept. 21 to secure another home victory.
During the Missouri match, the Tigers started strong with a goal by Anna Haddock 11 minutes into the match. Sydney Richards scored a goal for the Tigers, giving them the lead 2-0 going into half. Haddock's and Richards' dynamic duo accounted for all six shots taken by Auburn. Richards scored her second goal of the game, and Auburn won with a final of 3-2.
After winning its first conference game of the season, head coach Karen Hoppa shared, “Missouri is a very hard-working club, so they're going to make us earn every opportunity, which is what conference play is all about.”
The Tigers played another well-fought match Sunday against Ole Miss but could not quite pull out a victory. Haddock had another standout game, recording five shots and playing all 90 minutes. Richards, a fifth-year midfielder, also had another good game as accounted for four of the 14 shots against Ole Miss.
The Ole Miss defense remained strong but struggled to produce offensive attacks. Auburn doubled Ole Miss in shots (14-7) and created five scoring opportunities. Despite the hard efforts of the front line, the Tigers tied Ole Miss 0-0.
The Gamecocks are out for a victory after tying their last two games. They created 19 shooting opportunities during the match against Tennessee on Sept. 24. Senior forward Catherine Barry scored the only goal for the Gamecocks, however, it was not enough to pull out the win as the game ended in a 1-1 draw.
Auburn's attacking line has proved to be powerful with 137 shots on the season thus far. As Richards and Haddock sit as the top scorers for the Tigers, with four and three respectively, they could be Auburn's main source of attack against the Gamecocks.
However, South Carolina’s offense is not meant to be taken lightly. The Gamecocks have 173 shots on the season, creating 36 more shooting opportunities than Auburn. South Carolina currently has 24 goals on the season and 82 potential scoring opportunities. Barry and sophomore forward Shae O'Rourke account for 12 of South Carolina’s goals.
Auburn’s defensive line will have a battle on its hands Sunday night. Although, Auburn’s stamina proves to be a challenge for its opponents as Missouri made 10 substitutions in the first half during the match against the Tigers.
The matchup between Auburn and South Carolina will kick off at 6:30 p.m. CST at the Auburn Soccer Complex and be televised on SEC Network+.
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Caroline Roberts is a freshman from Athens, Alabama, majoring in sports production and broadcasting. She joined The Plainsman in Fall 2023.
