The No. 6 Auburn Tigers (8-0-0) are slated to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores (5-0-2) in their SEC home opener on Thursday aiming to remain undefeated on the season. The Tigers are 13-9-3 in SEC openers under head coach Karen Hoppa and 6-2-1 since 2015.
It is the first battle between these two clubs since 2022, with the last matchup resulting in an exhilarating 1-1 draw on September 30, 2022. Auburn seemed to secure the 1-0 victory before an indirect free kick was granted to Vanderbilt with 30 seconds remaining; the first attempt was rejected, but was successfully put into the back of the net on the rebound moments before time expired, forcing a tie.
Auburn’s 2024 campaign has been dominant thus far, as the Tigers have outscored their opponents 30-0 through all eight non-conference games, most recently coming off a two-goal win over Old Dominion. The only other team in the country that has yet to concede a goal this year is Oklahoma State (8-0-1). Hoppa’s squad has claimed two ranked wins, defeating No. 5 Clemson (4-2-2) and No. 17 Ohio State (6-1-1), marking only the 10th time in program history an Auburn team has beaten multiple top-25 teams in a single season.
The offensive attack is led by a dynamic duo of forwards in sophomore Olivia Woodson – awarded SEC Offensive Player of the Week two weeks ago – and redshirt junior Shelby Sallee, also supported by senior midfielder Anna Haddock. These three Tigers have combined for 39 points, contributing almost half of the team’s total goals this season (14).
Senior LJ Knox has been another bright spot for Auburn, earning SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors and multiple Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week mentions in late August. The outstanding play by Knox accompanied with elite hands from goalkeeper Maddie Prohaska has made the Auburn defense one of the best in the country. Prohaska, an extremely experienced weapon for the Tigers, is currently tied for third nationally in career shutouts by an active D1 player (32). Additionally, she is one clean sheet away from matching the program record of 33, set by Megan Rivera in the early 2000s.
However, the Vanderbilt defense has also proven to be stout, only giving up one goal in seven outings. The Commodores will attempt to stretch their win streak to three after taking down Middle Tennessee and Eastern Kentucky last week, playing only their second game away from Nashville this season. This will be the first real test for Vanderbilt after tying its only Power Four matchup with Kansas 0-0.
Commodore senior forward Rachel Deresky leads a three-headed scoring monster with the help of junior Caroline Betts and sophomore Sydney Watts. Similar to Auburn’s bunch, this trio is the source of the majority of Vanderbilt’s scoring production. Deresky, Betts, and Watts each have four goals. The Commodores have put 22 balls in the back of the net this season – just eight behind Auburn – including Dereskey’s impressive score 13 seconds into Vanderbilt's contest versus Eastern Kentucky, setting a new record for the fastest goal in program history. The intriguing clash of Vanderbilt’s forwards – and offense as a whole – against Auburn’s unrelenting defense will be a defining aspect of the game and undoubtedly something to watch.
Auburn and Vanderbilt will kickoff at 6:30 p.m. CST on SECN+. The Tigers are seeking their first over the Commodores since 2016.
A few days later, the Tigers welcome Florida (3-1-4) to town, hoping to own a 1-0 conference record heading into the Sunday afternoon matchup.
The Gators are in their third season with head coach Samantha Bohon at the helm (11-20-11) and will face Kentucky in their SEC opener on Thursday before heading to the Plains. With four games ending in a draw, including its most recent at Florida Gulf Coast, Florida earned only its third win of the year over Kennesaw State on Sept. 12. Their only defeat stems from a 0-3 shutout at No. 3 Florida State.
The Gators host a solid mix of experience and newcomers. Senior Daviana Vaka is a veteran and key component to their defense, averaging the most minutes per game on the team and All-SEC First Team honors last season. Florida returns eight players with 14 or more starts in 2023, including leading scorers Megan Hinnenkamp (8) and Lena Bailey (4). Hinnekamp, however, has been sidelined to start the season due to an injury. This is a big loss for the Gators, as Hinnenkamp was named the 2023 and Co-Freshman of the Year last season.
Bailey has effectively made up for her absence, already posting two goals after scoring four last year. She was listed as an “SEC Breakout Candidate” by TopDrawerSoccer after displaying strong potential in her freshman campaign.
Florida also has a preeminent group of first-years, including both freshmen and transfers. Forward Vera Blom stands atop the team’s stat sheet, leading the Gators in goals (3) and points (6). The freshman is a native of Spånga, Sweden and competes on the Swedish U-19 National team following multiple seasons with the U-18 and U-17 clubs.
Another important newcomer is forward/midfielder Delaney Tellex, a sophomore transfer from Memphis. Tellex was one of two freshman named to the AAC All-Tournament team last year, propelling her to her new role in Gainesville. She will be a big factor against Auburn, and the Tigers will be looking to hold her at bay and limit her production.
“This week is certainly going to be a challenge, thankfully we get to face it at home with some incredible fans by our side,” Hoppa said. “They’re going to come here hungry and confident. We’re certainly going to have to be at our best if we want a good result here.”
Auburn will take on Florida at the Auburn Soccer Complex at 2:00 p.m. CST on Sunday, Sept. 22. The game will be televised on SECN+.
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Gunner is a freshman majoring in journalism. He started with The Plainsman in the fall 2024.
You can follow him on X (Twitter) at @norene_gunner10
