Aug. 24, 2014
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GREENVILLE, S.C. - The Auburn University soccer team scored its first win of the 2014 campaign on Sunday afternoon, a 2-1 victory over Furman to even up its record and split the weekend. The Tigers got goals from freshman Kristen Dodson and senior Ashley Kotero, all in the first half. Both goals were the first for each player this season.
Auburn (1-1-0) fell behind early in Sunday's match with the Paladins (1-1-0) after allowing a goal in the fifth minute of the game off the foot of Hannah Stanifer. But, the Orange and Blue responded well, scoring the equalizer in the 27th minute from Dodson and then the game-winner from Kotero in the 44th minute, just seconds before halftime.
For Dodson, it was the first goal of her collegiate career and for Kotero, it was her second of her career and first game-winner. More importantly, the goal was extra important for Kotero after missing all of the 2013 season with an injury.
"I thought we played a great first half," Auburn head coach Karen Hoppa said. "We had a lot of chances and could have had more than two at halftime. We gave up one goal on the counterattack, but I was proud of our team fighting back and taking the lead at the half. It was big."
Much like Clemson on Friday night, Furman got the early lead on the Tigers after Stanifer netted a long shot from just around 20 yards away, but well outside of the box. Her kick looked like it was going to fall right in front of the net, but it found the top left corner of the net, out of reach of Auburn keeper, Alyse Scott.
Auburn continued to stay on the offensive for the remainder of the half, getting multiple looks at the goal. The Tigers had eight shots by halftime, four were on goal. The defense helped after the Furman goal, holding the Paladins to only two shots the rest of the way in the first half.
"We were way more aggressive today," Hoppa said. "We were much sharper offensively than we were on Friday. I thought we improved from that game and the girls did exactly what we wanted them to do. It produced two quality goals."
The Tigers equalized in the 27th minute after freshman Hannah Alspach sent a perfect cross into the front of the net and found the head of a racing Dodson. The Furman keeper couldn't do anything with the shot before it found the back of the net to tie the game at one. For Dodson, it was her first collegiate goal and first points of the season for Alspach.
As the minutes trickled away in the opening half, Auburn continued to stay aggressive on the offensive end. Right when it looked like the half would end tied at one, junior Haley Gerken sent a free kick into the middle of the box, a perfect spot for Kotero to sky into the air and send her own header past the keeper from six yards out. It was Kotero's second goal of her career and first ever game-winner.
"On the first goal, we really tried to work on getting our outside backs into the attack," Hoppa said. "Services are really important and the attacks are really important. Hannah (Alspach) played a perfect bent ball to where all Kristen (Dodson) had to do was redirect. Her header was perfect.
"We talk all the time about playing the whole half," Hoppa said. "When we got that free kick, we knew (Ashley) Kotero was a target. Haley (Gerken) put in a perfect serve and Kotero, the senior came through in a big way."
Auburn returns home for its second slate of games as it will host the Auburn Soccer Classic and will face UC-Irvine in its Friday matchup at 7 p.m. All games of the Auburn Soccer Classic will be played at the Auburn Soccer Complex and all Auburn games will be televised on SEC Network+.
For more information on Auburn soccer, visit AuburnTigers.com, follow the team on Twitter, @AuburnSoccer or follow them on Facebook at Facebook.com/AuburnSoccer.