AUBURN, Ala. - The No. 13 Auburn Tigers (12-1-3) will host their rival the Georgia Bulldogs (7-4-5), on Thursday night as they look to remain unblemished at home during the regular season.
Auburn (4-1-3 SEC) will look to get back in the win column after a disappointing 0-0 draw at Kentucky. After a slow start, the Tigers were able to get off eight shots in the second half. Unfortunately, only one shot was on goal, as missed opportunities plagued the Tigers and caused them to depart the Bluegrass state without a win.
The Tigers will aim to continue their recent success against their rival, as they are 6-0-1 in their last seven games against the Bulldogs. Auburn’s defense has been stifling in the series as of late, not allowing a goal to the Bulldogs since September of 2016. Despite the Tigers' recent success, the overall series record is very close (13-11-4) and has been hotly contested when played in Auburn (5-5-2).
Senior Anna Haddock will look to make school history for the Tigers for the most assists in program history, currently tied with Kate Ferguson at 42 career assists. The senior midfielder sits at fifth all-time in SEC history and third among active DI players for most assists. Haddock is the first woman to reach 40 career assists since Chelsea Drennan did it for South Carolina in 2016.
Georgia heads into Thursday's matchup coming off a 2-0 win vs Tennessee, looking to capture some momentum to end the regular season. Georgia has been up and down this season, but the Bulldogs have not lost on the road since September 1 when they fell to UCF 2-0 in Orlando. Georgia is now ranked 33rd in the latest NCAA RPI rankings, and they will attempt to bolster their resume with a road win at Auburn.
Both teams will be fighting tooth and nail for a win Thursday night, especially for a game with such high SEC-standing implications. Auburn (15 points) sits third in the SEC rankings entering Thursday’s matchup, and a win would help tremendously in securing a first-round bye in the SEC Tournament. Georgia currently sits at sixth place with 12 points but could make a late charge to steal a first-round bye away from the Tigers with a win.
The Tigers will try to secure a final win in front of their home crowd on Thursday, with kick-off set for 6:30 p.m. CT at the Auburn Soccer Complex. You can watch on SECN+ and listen on WEGL 91.1 FM or the Auburn Sports App.
