With just three games left on the year, the Auburn Tigers (6-5-5 SEC: 2-5-1) suffered a momentum-killing loss to the No. 18 Tennessee Lady Volunteers (9-3-2 SEC: 5-1-1), as the Tigers fell 1-0.
After a scoreless first half, Tennessee’s Kameron Simmonds scored the one and only goal for the Lady Volunteers in the 73rd minute. The goal was scored in a fantastic fashion after hitting the right pole and ending up in the far left side of the net.
The Volunteers seemed to have the ball all night finishing with 19 shots, nine of which being on goal. Forcing Auburn goalkeeper Maddie Prohaska to have another career night with eight saves on the night.
Volunteer goalkeeper Lindsey Romig finished with four saves off of Auburn’s four shots on goal.
Carly Thatcher was the leading shot-on-goal scorer with two of the Tiger's four, off just 61 minutes of play. The other two shots on goal came from Anna Haddock and Maddie Simpson.
"Overall, we played a great game," Tigers head coach Karen Hoppa said. "Tennessee is a great team, and we went toe-to-toe with them. The difference was they finished on one of their chances and we didn't. It's heartbreaking to play so well and not get the result."
With the loss, Auburn will remain the second-worst team in the SEC west, four points behind the Aggies of Texas A&M.
The way the SEC soccer championship is set up is the top ten teams with Auburn currently holding the 12th position, meaning if the season ended today Auburn would not be invited to Pensacola Florida in the SEC championship.
Auburn will have two chances to change their destiny, this Sunday, October 23rd, in Baton Rouge Louisiana against LSU at 1:00 pm. Before, Finally ending the regular season inside the Auburn Soccer Complex in the Iron Bowl of soccer against the No. 3 Alabama Crimson Tide.
