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TIGERS BATTLE TOUGH IN DEFEAT TO USC
In a tightly-contested
match at the Auburn Soccer Complex on Sunday night, No. 21 Auburn fell
2-0 to USC. The Tigers (3-3-0) mounted a bevy of attacks that led to 13
shots, including eight on target.
“I’m really proud of our
team,” said head coach Karen Hoppa. “I thought we played some great
soccer. Obviously, USC is a great team and really well-coached. I
thought it was just a really quality soccer game and we were unlucky to
not finish our chances, but give credit to USC. They scored on two
corners and were able to come out of here with a win.”
Ellie
Leek led the way on offense with three shots, including two on net,
while Casie Ramsier and Courtney Schell contributed two shots apiece.
The
Tigers came out firing right away to start off the match. In the first
minute of play, Kristen Dodson found Casie Ramsier, who then laid it
off to Leek for a curling effort that was hauled in by an extraordinary
effort from the opposing goalkeeper.
Sarah Le Beau kept things level with a diving snare in the 14th minute to keep the score level at 0-0.
Ten
minutes later, Brooke Ramsier laced a firecracker from 25 yards away
that rocked the crossbar, but was unable to cross the line.
In
the 26th minute, USC (3-2-0) broke the tie with a goal from a corner to
make it 1-0. The Trojans kept that margin heading into the locker room.
The
opening of the second half mirrored the first half with Dodson again
working it around to Leek, who forced a diving save by the USC goalie
to keep the score at 1-0.
Avery Batson then made a pair of crucial sliding challenges to thwart the Trojan attack in the 53rd minute.
USC doubled its lead with 14 minutes to play on a ball that bounced around the box and ended up finding the back of the net.
Auburn ratcheted up the intensity even more, but was unable to find a goal and eventually fell, 2-0.
USC
head coach Keidane McAlpine returned to The Plains for the first time
since he was an assistant coach at Auburn under Hoppa from 2006-11.
“It’s
always a bit emotional having someone you work with for so long on the
opposite bench,” stated Hoppa on McAlpine coming back. “There’s also a
source of pride in what he’s doing with that program and how good they
are. There were a lot of emotions.”
USC goalkeeper Sammy Jo
Prudhomme and Iowa State netminder Lindsey Hendon were awarded Co-MVP
honors for each producing back-to-back shutouts in the Auburn Soccer
Classic.
Auburn returns to its home field on Friday when it
opens up conference play against Vanderbilt. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.
and will be broadcasted on the SEC Network.
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