The Tigers are hungry for another home victory and will battle Texas A&M for their Military Appreciation Match on Friday. The Tigers are riding high after beating No. 6 Arkansas 2-1 at home on Oct. 8.
Auburn (6-5-3) fought hard and scored early in its match against Arkansas (9-3-1). Anna Haddock, senior midfielder, had an early goal two minutes into the game and set the tone for the Tigers.
The Razorbacks fought back and scored their first and only goal of the match in the 53rd minute. However, Sydnie Thibodaux answered with a goal of her own for Auburn six minutes later.
“It gives us the confidence that we can legitimately play with anyone in the country,” Haddock said.
During this match, Auburn drew 14 fouls by the end of the game, three of which resulted in yellow cards for Arkansas while Arkansas drew 17.
Arkansas went into Sunday’s game with a 5-0 conference record in the SEC. Auburn broke Arkansas' six-game winning streak and gave the Razorbacks their first SEC loss of the season.
Beating Arkansas gave the Tigers their first top-10 win since 2017. Auburn's record now stands at (2-3-1) in SEC play.
Texas A&M (7-5-2) faced No. 19 Alabama (8-3-4) on Sunday, Oct. 8 and proved to be a challenge for the 19th-ranked team. The Aggies' attacking line forced Alabama’s goalkeeper, senior Dylan Pixton, to make seven saves by the final and scored three goals in a 3-1 win.
The team is hoping to ride that momentum as it heads to Auburn, Alabama.
Alabama had four shots on goal during its match against Texas A&M, however, Texas A&M’s offense created 10 scoring opportunities.
The Aggies' goalkeeper, Kenna Caldwell, not only has been a solid keeper this season with 21 saves, but also plays a part in the offensive attacks. Caldwell had one shot on goal against Alabama and even scored a goal earlier this season against Tulsa.
The Aggies' starting front line accounted for five of the 10 attacks on Alabama’s goal. Because of their strong attacks, Texas A&M has proved to be a problem on both sides of the field for its opponents.
The Aggies' substitutions entered the match against Alabama and added five more shots on goal to their attack. The Texas A&M roster proves to be well-rounded and can make substitutions without harm.
Auburn and Texas A&M are battling to add another SEC win to its record. Both teams are consistently strong across the board and will have to battle until the end.
Auburn will host its Military Appreciation Match against Texas A&M at Auburn on Friday, Oct. 13, at 6:30 p.m. CST on SECN+.
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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.
