After a somewhat disappointing finish to the regular season, the Auburn soccer team was unable to start the postseason on a positive note, losing a 2-1 thriller in the SEC Tournament opener to LSU.
The Tigers, who came into the game as the No. 6 seed in the tournament despite leading the conference in points for most of the season, now must hope for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament later this month.
Head coach Karen Hoppa’s Tigers started the season 8-0 in non-conference play, but struggled mightily throughout the SEC schedule, ultimately failing to pick up a win in their final three contest of the season. The two draws and loss sank Auburn to the No. 6 seed in the SEC Tournament, forcing them into a first-round matchup with No. 11 LSU, who they beat 4-0 earlier in the season. Unfortunately, things did not go as well for Auburn in the rematch. Following a scoreless first half, LSU scored a pair of goals in the 56th and 71st minute of action, forcing the Tigers into a hole they were never able to climb out of.
Auburn did out-shoot (8-4) LSU and controlled the possession for most of the game, but the Tigers’ inability to put away chances early and often led to their demise. Even though Karen Hoppa and the Tigers have now failed to capture a win in four straight contests, Auburn should still receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament after a historic season in which the Tigers were consistently ranked among the top 25 in most polls.
While the Tigers have seemingly done enough to receive a bid, the NCAA Tournament committee ultimately has the final say. We will see whether the Tigers get the chance to compete for a National Championship when the NCAA Tournament field is announced on Monday, November 11. 33 at-large bids will be handed out to complete the 64-team field.
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