In front of nearly 1700 fans Thursday evening, Auburn soccer (5-5-5, 1-3-4) held one of the league's top attacks in check and relied on a clutch goal from Erin Flurey to secure a 1-1 draw against Oklahoma (9-3-4, 2-3-3). The Tigers controlled much of the first half, but Oklahoma struck first in the second half before Flurey converted a penalty to score a tie.
Auburn dominated play for the first 45 minutes, outshooting Oklahoma 6-1 and preventing the Sooners from having a single look at goal. Despite Auburn’s strong offense, Oklahoma’s Caroline Duffy kept the Tigers in check with two key saves, keeping Dylan Driver and Gracie Brown from scoring. Auburn maintained control and held a 2-3 edge in corner kicks, but they were unable to break through and the first half ended 0-0.
What began as a controlled opening quickly shifted into a physical battle for space. Whistles rang out across the field and players on both sides battled with heavy contact. By the end of the game Auburn was tagged with 14 fouls, Oklahoma with 10, and the second half saw two yellow cards issued to the Sooners.
In the second half it was clear both teams were wanting the win and Oklahoma finally generated offense, scoring 6 shots total in the second half. Kayla Keefer scored Oklahoma-s first goal of the match on the Sooners’ first shot. Auburn didn’t waste any time responding to the goal, and a foul in the box by Riley Brown led to a penalty.
Flurey converted the penalty to tie the game 1-1. This marked Flurey’s 11th goal this season and is nine-for-nine from the penalty spot in her career. Auburn didn’t give up and kept pushing forward aggressively, pushing shots from Hayden Colson, Shelby Sallee, and Margey Brown but was unable to finish.
“We wanted three points. We kind of needed three points, but we’ll have to take one tonight,” head coach James Armstrong said. “I thought we played really, really well for about 75 minutes, but unfortunately, we didn’t have the punch for the final 15 minutes. Overall, there were a lot of really good performances tonight.”
Auburn’s defense also shined this match, holding Oklahoma without a shot for nearly 60 minutes. Notably seniors Taylor Chism, Hayden Colson, and Erin Houston, junior Jordyn Crosby, and freshmen Gracie Brown and Lily Devereaux, shut down a powerful attack from Oklahoma. All six players logged over 85 minutes, anchoring Auburn’s effort throughout the game.
Auburn heads to Athens on Sunday to meet No. 19 Georgia, with kickoff set for 4 p.m. CDT on SEC Network.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
