AUBURN, Ala — In Auburn’s fifth soccer game of the season the No. 13 Tigers (5-0-0) defeated the Appalachian State Mountaineers (2-2-1) 3-0 in a scorching hot match on the plains.
Auburn looks like a different team this year compared to last, especially in scoring. Last season Auburn scored a total of 26 goals, but this season in just five games Auburn has scored 22 goals. This shows that while last year’s Auburn team was based on defensive capabilities, this year’s Auburn team knows how to put the ball in the back of the net.
Coach Hoppa said, “Goals breed confidence and confident teams play well.” The Tigers are certainly a living model of the statement, especially when compared to the 2023-2024 season.
Auburn opened the match with a quick goal by Shelby Sallee assisted by Mallory Mooney in the third minute. This brings Sallee’s total goals for the season to two, and Mooney’s assists for the season to two as well.
There was a bit of a lull in the scoring after the first goal but in the 27th minute, Dylan Driver scored off an assist by Tiger goalkeeper Maddie Prohaska. This brought Driver's total goals for the season to two as well, and Prohaska got in on the offensive action as well with her first assist of the season.
After the game, Prohaska said, “I’m putting this one on goal,” and she did. The ball that Prohaska delivered allowed Driver to get on the ball and put Auburn up 2-0.
Nearing the end of the first half with just over a minute to play, Becky Contreras scored Auburn’s third goal of the game assisted by Sydnie Thibodaux. Today also saw Contreras score her second goal of the season with Thibodaux getting her second assist as well.
Contreras said, “We’re hot right now, and I think it’s a great thing that we have so many goal-scorers.” This is such a true statement, as although there were no new goal-scorers this game 12 Tigers have a goal, and 10 Tigers have assists in the season.
The second half was slower paced than the first half, with no goals scored by either Appalachian State or Auburn. However, the Tigers continued to press the net and had multiple opportunities to score in the second half.
It is especially true when looking at the final stats of the game, Auburn had 23 shots, ten of which were on goal, compared to Appalachian State’s four shots, two of which were on goal.
“They fight for everything, and they know when they get on the field, they know they must go out there and earn it, Coach Hoppa said.
Auburn looks to continue improving their season record, when they play at Samford on September 5th at 6:00 pm CDT, where they will play at Samford, and the game can be watched on ESPN+.
