Auburn is looking to get a bounce-back win at home against Oklahoma after a brutal five-game stretch that was capped by a heartbreaking 4-3 loss to Alabama.
Sitting at 5-5-4 on the year and 1-3-3 in SEC play, the Tigers are in need of a win to regain their momentum and fight to get back to the top of the SEC. Both teams sit at 11th and 12th in the conference, where only 12 teams make the SEC tournament. With only two games left for the Tigers, this is a huge opportunity to get much-needed points.
The Tigers are headlined by their two-headed monster up top in Dylan Driver and Erin Flurey. Flurey is tied for the SEC lead in goals with 10, while Driver ranks second in the conference in assists with seven. These two will need to be great facing a high-powered Sooner offense and a strong goalkeeper.
The Sooners come into the game 9-3-3 overall and 2-3-2 in SEC play, just ahead of the Tigers. This matchup is a huge game for seeding purposes in the SEC tournament and for both teams’ chances to clinch a spot in the field.
Oklahoma has an extremely potent offense led by SEC assists leader Kayle Keefer. Keefer, a sophomore forward, has eight assists on the year to go along with five goals. She is dangerous with the ball and loves finding Oklahoma’s many offensive weapons, including fellow sophomore Lexi Dendis, who has five assists and three goals this season.
The Sooners also feature one of the top goal scorers in the SEC, junior forward Naiomi Clark. Clark has seven goals on the year and pairs well with Keefer. They are one of the stronger duos statistically up top in the SEC.
Oklahoma is tied for third in the SEC in goals with 32. The Sooners also rank in the top half of the league in goals allowed with 14 on the season. Goalkeeper Carolin Duffy is tied for fourth in the conference in saves with 39. The Sooners have a well-rounded team that can beat opponents in multiple ways.
Oklahoma enters the match coming off back-to-back ties and looking to climb the standings. Both teams need at least a draw — if not a win — to help solidify their spot in the SEC tournament.
The match kicks off Thursday at 6:30 p.m. CST at the Auburn Soccer Complex and will stream on SEC Network+.
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