Following a 2-1 defeat against No. 15 South Carolina, the Auburn Tigers will be looking to bounce back and get back to winning ways when they take on No. 19 Alabama and No. 6 Arkansas.
The Tigers’ overall record is 5-4-3 while their SEC record is 1-2-1, with the other loss coming from Mississippi State and a draw against Ole Miss. The Tigers will be hoping to get a big road win against Alabama before coming back home to take on Arkansas in a push to boost their chances of qualifying for the SEC Tournament.
Auburn will need to be efficient on both sides of the pitch to come home with a win in its games against Alabama and Arkansas. In the four SEC games the Tigers have played, they’ve taken 37 shots with 19 of those being on target but just four of those being converted. On the other end of the pitch, they’re allowing an average of 7.4 shots per game and have allowed five goals in their four conference games. Senior midfielder Anna Haddock continues to lead the team in points with three goals and five assists.
The Alabama Crimson Tide’s record is 7-2-4 in the overall season and 1-2-1 in conference play. Their two SEC losses come from a 5-0 loss against Arkansas and most recently, a 2-1 loss at the hands of Kentucky while their only draw came against Georgia in a tight 1-1 match. The Crimson Tide are undefeated at home, something they’ll look to keep up against the Tigers.
The main threat the Auburn Tigers will need to be wary of is sophomore forward Gianna Paul, who currently has seven goals and one assist to give her 15 points this season. Her seven goals have her tied for second for most goals in the SEC this season. Felicia Knox will also be a direct threat to the Tigers as she has two goals and leads the team in assists with three. The Tigers' offense will have to take advantage of a leaky Alabama defense that allows an average of 11.4 shots per game.
Shifting focus to the Tigers’ second game, the Arkansas Razorbacks boast an impressive record of 8-2-1 in the overall season and an even more impressive undefeated SEC record of 4-0. The Razorbacks' only losses have come against against No. 4 North Carolina and No. 9 Clemson, and their only draw came against No. 12 Notre Dame. The Razorbacks are currently on a five-game winning streak and will look to keep that up against the Tigers.
Auburn’s defense will have to be sharp on the day as the Razorbacks are averaging 2.82 goals per game with graduate forward Morgan White leading the team in points with six goals and two assists. Bea Franklin trails behind with five goals, three assists and 13 points. It will take good work from Auburn offensively to score as the Razorbacks are only allowing an average of one goal per game.
Auburn will face Alabama on Thursday, Oct. 5 at 6 p.m. CST on SEC Network. The Tigers then will return to the Auburn Soccer Complex to play Arkansas on Sunday, Oct. 8 at 6 p.m. CST on SEC Network.
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Hector Hernandez is a freshman from Huntsville, Alabama, majoring in building science. He joined The Plainsman in fall 2023.
