BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Sophomore midfielder Anna Haddock has been named the Southeastern Conference Offensive Player of the Week, the league office announced Monday.
It marks the second time this season Haddock has been named the SEC Offensive Player of the Week after also earning the distinction following a pair of wins opening weekend.
“Anna had a tremendous SEC opener, scoring two great goals and dominating the game in the midfield,” head coach Karen Hoppa said. “We are thrilled to see her recognized again as the Offensive Player of the Week.”
Haddock continued her fast start to the season by turning in her second brace of the year in the Tigers’ 3-0 win in the SEC opener against Georgia. The goals were her sixth and seventh of the season.
The Bowling Green, Kentucky, native got the scoring started by finding the back of the net less than 10 minutes into the contest, ultimately proving to be her fourth game-winning goal of the season. After lightning delayed the start of the second half, she came out less than five minutes into the restart and doubled the Tigers’ lead.
Haddock has registered a point in seven of eight games this season. Her seven goals through eight contests are the most by an Auburn player since Tammy Waine scored 12 goals in the span in 2000. She is tied for third in the league in points (17) and tied for fourth in goals.
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Auburn soccer takes on Florida State in a top ten showdown today.
AUBURN, Ala. – Winners of 11 in a row, No. 10 Auburn (6-0-0) puts its perfect record to the test as the Tigers host No. 1 Florida State (6-0-0) Sunday at 2 p.m. CT at the Auburn Soccer Complex.
“It’s a great opportunity to have a top-10 matchup on our campus,” head coach Karen Hoppa said. “It’s a great measure stick for our young team to see where we’re at and a great final non-conference game to get prepared for SEC play.”
The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPNU and will also be available on WEGL 91.1.
Admission to all Auburn soccer home contests is free.
STARTING XI
Auburn is one of 10 Power 5 teams with a perfect record, and the 6-0-0 start is tied with the 2002 and 2015 teams for the second-best start in program history.
Sunday’s matchup marks Auburn’s fifth all-time meeting with the No. 1 team in the
country, including the second that has taken place at the Auburn Soccer Complex.
The Tigers have now won 11 straight games dating back to last spring, marking the longest winning streak in the country and in program history.
Auburn has outscored opponents 34-7 during the winning streak, including 18-4 this fall. Twelve of the 18 goals have come in the last three games.
The Tigers have scored multiple goals in nine straight games dating back to last spring, marking the longest streak with multiple goals in program history.
Carly Thatcher turned in the 14th hat trick in program history Thursday, while Marissa Arias added a brace and an assist. The duo were the fifth and sixth players to score multiple goals in a game this season.
Nine players have scored and 15 have registered a point in the team’s first six games.
Auburn is 175-65-21 all-time at home and has earned a result in 10 of the last 11 home contests (7-1-3) dating back to the beginning of last season.
The Tigers haven’t allowed more than one goal in a game in a span of 14 contests dating back to the SEC Tournament quarterfinal matchup with Arkansas on Nov. 17, 2020. The team has turned in 0.49 goals-against average during the span.
PLAYER TO WATCH: CARLY THATCHER
After playing in 40 minutes through the first five games, Thatcher turned in a hat trick in 27 minutes of action against Alabama A&M Thursday. Her first two goals came 30 seconds apart, and the Greer, S.C., native ultimately turned in the 14th hat trick in program history, including the second by an Auburn freshman in the last seven games.
SCOUTING FLORIDA STATE
Florida State has maintained the No. 1 ranking in the coaches’ poll the entirety of the season and enters the weekend with a 6-0-0 mark.
The Seminoles rank 15th in the country in goals and are outscoring opponents 20-3 while allowing just 10 shots through six games.
Sophomore forward Beatta Olsson leads the way with four goals and is tied for the team lead with eight points.
Sophomore Cristina Roque and freshman Mia Justus have combined in goal and have turned in four shutouts while leading the Seminoles to a 0.50 goals-against average.
PROMOTIONS
Presentation of the colors by the color guard.
TV giveaway – a 65-inch television will be given away to one lucky fan at the conclusion of the game. Must be present to win.
UP NEXT
The Tigers wrap up a five-match homestand and begin SEC play against Georgia (6-1-0) Friday, Sept. 17 at 6:30 p.m. CT at the Auburn Soccer Complex.
AUBURN, Ala. – Kylie Bechard and Sydney Richards scored two goals apiece as No. 11 Auburn continued its winning streak by defeating UAB, 4-1, Thursday night at the Auburn Soccer Complex.
This win marks the ninth straight for the Tigers dating back to last spring, trying the start of the 2018 season for the longest winning streak in program history.
“What’s most exciting is I don’t think we’ve played our best soccer yet, but we have a mentality,” head coach Karen Hoppa said. “It’s a fighting mentality. They work hard, they grind it out, they make things happen. They’re finding a way, and we know they can play better, so we’re really excited so far.”
“Honestly, just our perseverance throughout this whole thing and wanting to get better and better each game,” Richards said of what has led to the team’s nine straight wins. “Our team chemistry is really great. We’re a really diverse team and just want to work hard and do great until the end.”
Bechard and Richards each recorded a brace in the contest to account for all four Auburn goals. For Bechard, it was the first goal of her Auburn career after bouncing back from two knee injuries that forced her to miss the last two seasons.
“It was just great,” Bechard said. “It’s been a long road getting here. It’s been like two years since I’ve been able to play, but it was just an awesome feeling and honestly proud of myself after everything I’ve been through. Proud of my team, too.”
“So proud of her,” Hoppa said of Bechard. “She spent the first two years of college rehabbing knee injuries. To see her just get on the field the first game was a joy, and to see her contribute the way she did tonight, scoring two-goal, I’m really proud of her and really excited because it’s only the beginning for Kylie.”
Five Tigers pitched in with assists in the contest, including a pair from Mallory Mooney. Maddie Simpson, Grace Sklopan, Olivia Candelino, and Madeline Moore also got on the scoresheet with an assist, marking the first point in Sklopan’s Auburn career.
“It’s really good,” Richards said of the number of players who pitched in offensively. “We need a lot of people to be able to score and be able to come off the bench and make an impact. I really think that’s important.”
Auburn’s (4-0-0) chances started in the opening minute of the contest and continued throughout much of the first half, but it took until the 40th minute when Bechard got the Tigers on the scoreboard. Simpson laid a pass off to Mooney near the far sideline, and the sophomore defender played a ball across the front of the net, ultimately finding Bechard making a far post run and finishing into the back of the net.
The Tigers held a 1-0 lead coming out of halftime, but it didn’t take AUB (1-4-0) long to find the equalizer as Lizzie Hill did so 45 seconds into the second half. However, Auburn answer right back off the right foot of Richards only 16 seconds later. The goal was the first of the season for the junior forward, who split a pair of UAB defenders and fired a shot past the UAB goalkeeper into the far upper 90.
Ten minutes later, Richards recorded the second brace of her Auburn career as she found the net again. Played in by Candelino, Richards found her way through the Blazer defense and snuck a left-footed shot inside the far post to extend the advantage to 3-1.
Sep 2, 2021; Auburn, AL, USA; Sydney Richards (14) reacts after scoring a goal during the game between Auburn and UAB at Auburn Soccer Complex. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Shannon/AU Athletics
The Tigers’ fourth and final goal of the game, all coming in a span of fewer than 30 minutes, occurred when Bechard found space beyond the 18-yard box and hit a right-footed strike that deflected off a defender and found its way inside the near post.
Auburn’s four goals were the most this season, and the team’s multiple goals in four straight matches are the most since the start of the 2018 campaign.
The Tigers got a season-high 20 players into the contest, including 14 who played 30 or more minutes.
Auburn continues the homestand by welcoming Chattanooga (2-2-0) to the Auburn Soccer Complex Sunday at 1 p.m. CT.
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TROY, Ala. – No. 14 Auburn remained unbeaten to start the season as the Tigers defeated Troy, 2-1, Thursday night at the Troy Soccer Complex.
The win was Auburn’s eighth straight dating back to last spring, marking the second-longest winning streak in program history.
“We had a great weekend last weekend, and with a young team, being able to respond after a big win and trying to get a result on the road is a big challenge,” head coach Karen Hoppa said. “All the credit to Troy. They played a fantastic game, but I’m proud of my team for managing the game and coming out with a road result.”
Hannah Waesch and M.E. Craven found the back of the net for the first time this season to account for Auburn’s scoring in the contest.
Anna Haddock got on the scoresheet for the third straight game with a pair of assists, and Olivia Candelino pitched in with an assist on the first goal of the game, marking her first point of the season.
Waesch got the scoring started in the 24th minute as she found the back of the net off a deflection from the goalkeeper after hitting a shot off the far post. Candelino and Haddock played a pair of horizontal passes near the top of the box to find Waesch in space, and the sophomore midfielder finished with the left foot.
“I intercepted the ball from their center back and found an open gap to the outside,” Waesch said. “(Candelino) played a great ball into Anna at the top of the box, and she made a great reserve pass to me. I just placed it back corner.”
Less than 10 minutes later, Haddock served a corner kick to Craven making a near post run in the middle of the box, and the senior defender rose above her Trojan counterpart to finish the header and double Auburn’s advantage before halftime. The goal marked the first of her Auburn career and was ultimately the difference in the game.
“It’s been something I’ve been working on,” Craven said of her header. “I wanted to get us up more than one goal to give us a nice buffer. When Anna served that ball, I knew I had to get my head on it and get a goal.”
The Tigers (3-0-0) dominated the possession in the first half, taking an 11-1 shot advantage into halftime. However, after holding Troy (2-1-0) to just two shots in the first 60 minutes of action, the Trojans cut the Tigers’ lead to one as Taytum Terrell hit a volley into the back of the net in the 61st minute.
Troy fought for the equalizer, but the Auburn defensive unit buckled down to hold the Trojans in check in the final stages. The game marked the 11th straight dating back to Nov. 17, 2020 in which the Tigers have allowed one of fewer goals.
“I thought we really did a good job the last 10 minutes of limiting Troy to no real dangerous opportunities,” Hoppa added. “I thought we kept the ball well, we held it in the corner well, and that’s really good experience for our young team.”
Seventeen Tigers ultimately saw action in the contest, including eight who played 60 or more minutes. Senior captain Olivia Dedels and sophomore Maddie Simpson both made their season debuts in the contest.
Auburn faces its second in-state foe of the weekend, traveling to Mobile for a matchup with South Alabama (2-1-0) Sunday at 1 p.m. CT on ESPN+.
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AUBURN, Ala. – Sophomore midfielder Anna Haddock recorded her first career brace to lead Auburn to a 2-1 win against No. 12 BYU in the team’s home opener Saturday at the Auburn Soccer Complex.
Saturday’s win marked the Tigers’ first win against a top-15 team since a 1-0 win against No. 10 Florida on Oct 15, 2017. The victory, which occurred in front of nearly 1,000 fans, also marked Auburn’s seventh straight dating back to last spring.
“What a night to have a full capacity stadium again,” head coach Karen Hoppa said. “We had a packed house, and the atmosphere was incredible. It really inspired our players, and what a tremendous performance.”
Haddock put both of the Tigers’ goals in the back of the net, marking her second and third goals in just two matches this season, while Carly Thatcher, Kylie Bechard, and Alyssa Malonson each pitched in with an assist. It marked the first career points for Thatcher, who made her Auburn debut in the contest, and Bechard.
“First of all, that was the biggest crowd that we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Haddock said. “It was awesome to score those goals against a really high-quality team, and this is something we can build on for the rest of the year.”
Haddock got the Tigers started with a powerful finish into the bottom right corner in the closing minutes of the first half. After taking a shot that skipped wide, Thatcher reclaimed possession and dropped a pass back to Bechard, who laid it off to Haddock for the finish.
Less than a minute later, BYU responded with a goal from Abbie Kotter to tie it up going into halftime.
The Tigers regrouped during the intermission, and nearly 25 minutes into the second half Haddock scored her second game-winner in as many contests this season. Malonson beat her defender up the left flank and served a pass far post, while Haddock rose above the BYU defender and put a clinical header into the upper 90.
“Two of your top players stepping up in a big-time moment,” Hoppa said. “It was a great ball from Alyssa, and Anna’s a clutch player in big moments. That’s who you want on the ball, and she took care of it.”
“I saw Alyssa driving, and I know when Alyssa’s driving she’s going to get a cross off,” Haddock added. “I don’t know if I’ve ever screamed louder for a pass, but she chipped it right in, and I just watched the ball and headed it into the back of the net.”
On the defensive side, Maddie Prohaska played the full 90 minutes in the net and defended 18 BYU shots while making three crucial saves for the Tigers. Senior forward Hailey Whitaker also pitched in on the defensive side, blocking a header off a corner from going into the back of the net in the early stages.
Facing a quick turnaround after Thursday’s season opener at Samford, Sixteen Tigers saw action in the game, including nine who played 80 or more minutes. Senior captain M.E. Craven was on the pitch for all 90 minutes for the second time in three days and played a huge role on the defensive end.
“We were really excited coming into the game, and one of our big points of emphasis was to have fun and play our game because we know we can compete with people at this level,” senior captain M.E. Craven said. “That’s what we did, and we came away with the win.”
Auburn has a pair of road contests against in-state foes next week, starting with a match at Troy Thursday, Aug. 26 at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN+.
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The following is from a press release from Auburn Athletics.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Auburn soccer responded from an early deficit and defeated Samford, 2-1, in the season opener in Birmingham, Alabama, Thursday night.
After conceding a goal in the opening three minutes of the contest, Auburn scored two unanswered goals to complete the come-from-behind win.
“Opening night, you always want to start with a win,” head coach Karen Hoppa said. “Going down early, I’m really proud of the resilience of our group. It’s hard to come from behind on the road against a high-quality team like Samford. I’m proud of their ability to fight back.”
Alyssa Malonson got the Tigers on the scoreboard and evened the match with a goal in the late stages of the first half, and Anna Haddock scored the game-winner in the 70th minute. M.E. Craven and Marissa Arias were credited with assists on the goals.
“We’ve been waiting for this moment for quite a while, so we were really excited for this one,” Haddock said. “This is the first of many, and it’s a great start to a great year for us.”
Auburn outshot Samford, 10-7, in the contest and put seven shots on goal compared to the Bulldogs’ five. The Tigers also won seven corner kicks to Samford’s four.
Samford started the scoring in the contest as a scrum inside the box resulted in a goal into the lower right corner of the net off the foot of Mary Raymond.
However, after Maddie Prohaska made a pair of diving saves off a couple of header attempts, Auburn controlled much of the possession for the remainder of the first half.
The possession paid off when Malonson scored the equalizer in the 38th minute. Craven served a free-kick from near midfield, and the fifth-year senior found her way behind the Samford backline, heading a bouncing ball past the goalkeeper and into the back of the net.
“They caught us a little off-balance, but we came right back,” Malonson said. “This really just shows how much we have to be turned on during the big-five moments.”
“Getting that goal to make it a tie game going into half was massive for us,” Hoppa added. “We knew it was going to come down to a 45-minute game, and we won that second 45. I’m proud of the team’s effort.”
It was a battle between the boxes to start the second half as each team managed one shot in the first 20 minutes coming out of halftime.
The pressure picked up in the next 10 minutes, and Haddock delivered the game-winner with a right-footed strike from the top of the box. Arias laid the pass off to Haddock, who found herself between three converging defenders but was able to fire off the shot far post and into the left side netting.
Prohaska and the Auburn defense held Samford in check following the opening goal, and the sophomore goalkeeper ultimately totaled four saves in the contest.
Sixteen Tigers saw action in the contest, including three who made their official Auburn debuts.
Auburn welcomes No. 12 BYU to the Plains for the team’s home opener Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CT at the Auburn Soccer Complex.
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Houchin was named to Team of the Week marking the fifth time this spring an Auburn player received the acknowledgement. It was the second time for both Houchin and Whitaker who earned honorable mention accolades this week.
Houchin, a senior, led Auburn to it’s eighth shutout this season against the nation’s highest scoring offense. Saturday was Houchin’s 76th consecutive start for Auburn on the backline and she assisted on the Tigers’ first goal in the match. Not a bad way to close out Senior Day.
Whitaker, a junior, finished the game with two assists and scored the Tigers’ third goal in the game. After matching her career best with two assists and four points she was named this week’s Southeastern Conference Offensive Player of the Week. Whitaker was recognized by Top Drawer Soccer last week after scoring the game winning goal against Alabama. This week marks her second honor in a row.
Head coach Karen Hoppa was elated that her players’ efforts continued to be recognized,
“Sarah and Hailey played key roles on the defensive and offensive side of the ball in our win last weekend. We’re glad to see them both recognized by Top Drawer this week.”
The last time an SEC player received back-to-back Defensive Player of the Week honors was September 2017. This week, Auburn freshman goalkeeper Maddie Prohaska changes that.
This spring Prohaska has started at goalkeeper in each match for the Tigers and allowed only one goal. Her efforts on Saturday led the team to their fourth shutout in five games this spring with a 1-0 double overtime victory over Louisville. Saturday’s shutout was Prohaska’s seventh this season as well as her sixth solo shutout.
Back-to-back. @mkprohaska becomes the first player since 2017 to earn consecutive @SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors! #WarEagle
The back-to-back accolades aren’t the first this season for the talented freshman as Prohaska was also named SEC Freshman of the Week on September 21 after an impressive debut performance against Mississippi State.
Her impressive save percentage (0.842) currently leads the league. Karen Hoppa was elated to see the freshman star get back-to-back recognition Monday and said,
“We are so excited for Maddie to win back-to-back SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors. Getting a shutout on the road against a quality ACC team is a great accomplishment, and we are glad to see that accomplishment recognized by the league.”
straight weeks with a 
