Sept. 10, 2010
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Haley Boysen's goal one minute into the first overtime period was the only goal scored on Friday afternoon as the No. 21 Auburn soccer team fell, 1-0, at Southern Cal. Boysen's shot came due to a quick attack by Southern Cal that never allowed Auburn to control possession in the extra period.
"USC plays a real fast-paced pressure type of game and they did a good job with it," Auburn Head Coach Karen Hoppa said. "Give USC credit, they played their style better than we played our style. As the game wore on we struggled to find our rhythm. We certainly had quality chances and enough to win the game but we couldn't capitalize on any."
The two teams played a scoreless first half that saw lots of action but little in terms of solid scoring chances as the teams combined to take 12 shots, though only four went on goal, three by Southern Cal (3-1-2) and one by Auburn (4-2-0), and one corner apiece.
Auburn's best chance came in the 33rd minute when Heather Havron made a run down the sideline and fired off a shot from the top corner of the 18 only to have it sail wide while it took a diving one-handed stop by Amy Howard in the Auburn net in the 22nd minute to keep it scoreless as Megan Ohai turned a loose ball at the top of the 18 in a crowd into a one-timer.
The action was fast and furious in the second half as the two teams combined to take 15 shots, starting with a shot by Southern Cal just 20 seconds into the period. In the second 45, Auburn was able to put three of its five shots on frame while Southern Cal put just one of its 10 on frame.
Auburn nearly went up by a goal in the 58th minute, capitalizing on back-to-back corners, but Mary Coffed's shot hit the crossbar and bounced out. Ashley Marks got the rebound but her shot was saved by Southern Cal goalkeeper Shelby Church to keep it knotted at 0-0.
Auburn closes out its west coast trip at 1pm CT on Sunday when it faces Cal State Fullerton, which lost to Northern Arizona, 3-2, on Friday afternoon.