Sept. 21, 2007
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Three different Auburn players recorded their first goal of the season as the Auburn soccer team traveled to Samford and came away with a 3-0 win on Friday night to improve to 3-2-1 on the season. Samford fell to 4-3-0.
"We know Samford is very well coached and this was a great environment, so for us to come away with a 3-0 win is really significant for our team," Auburn Head Coach Karen Hoppa said. "I feel like we took a really big step today. Samford presented a really big problem for us tactically; we took about 20 minutes and finally solved it and we put the game away, two things we have been working on with this young team."
Kara Kasten collected her first goal of the season in the 35th minute as she stole the ball from a Samford defender at the top of the 18 and placed her shot in the opposite corner to make it 1-0 Auburn.
Addison Ragsdale, a freshman who went to nearby Spain Park High School, made it 2-0 Auburn in the 40th minute as she headed in her first collegiate goal after Kasey Warren served her a ball from 30-yards out off of a free kick.
"It was a great ball by Kasey, a perfect ball in the six," Ragsdale said. "It was fun to come home to a fun atmosphere in Birmingham and play in front a lot of people here. It was awesome just to get my first goal period but the fact that it was in Birmingham was even sweeter."
Kori Hoelscher made it a first-goal hat-trick midway through the second half as she settled Becca Howell's serve inside the 18 with a defender on her back, turned and fired to make it 3-0 with 18:35 remaining. The assist was the second of the season for Howell.
Allison Whitworth, who finished with five saves while facing seven shots, was tested early, saving a point-blank shot just 3:30 into the game. Auburn also benefited from the crossbar as Samford's Amber Cress ripped a shot over the outstretched arm of Whitworth only to draw iron and keep the game scoreless.
Auburn will close out its non-conference season on Sunday at 2pm CT when Louisiana-Lafayette visits the Auburn Soccer Complex. Sunday is Golden Tiger Day and admission is free.
