Aug. 28, 2016
Related Links
-->
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" Auburn produced its best offensive performance of the season in a 4-3 win at Samford on Sunday night. The Tigers (3-1-0) pushed their win streak to three with Kristen Dodson pacing the team with two goals.
Ellie Leek and Casie Ramsier each tallied a goal in the winning effort in a tough environment against the Bulldogs (1-2-1).
"That's a great Samford team," said head coach Karen Hoppa. "They have two of the best forwards in the country, in my opinion. It was a battle - one of those crazy games that goes back-and-forth and tonight we won on our offense."
Dodson opened the scoring just six minutes into the start of the match when she fired a screamer past the goalkeeper from six yards away. Haley Gerken was credited with an assist as she put the ball into the mixer from a free kick at midfield.
Two minutes later, Samford responded by tying the match at 1-1 on a breakaway goal.
The Tigers then settled into the game and regained the lead when Leek drilled a shot into the back of the net from a cross by Brooke Ramsier in the 16th minute.
The score became 3-1 in favor of the road team when Casie Ramsier worked her way into the box and put a shot across the face of goal that nestled into the corner for her second goal in as many games.
Down by two, the Bulldogs got back into the match with a curling effort in the 30th minute.
Auburn took a 3-2 lead into the locker room before there was a break in the action due to lightning in the surrounding area.
After a delay of nearly 135 minutes, play resumed and both teams came out looking to capitalize.
Dodson did just that in the 52nd minute as she took a touch and laced a volley from 30 yards out into the left side of the net and put her team up 4-2.
"We had to keep that intensity after that rain delay and I felt like we really won with our offense scoring a lot of goals today," said Dodson.
The Bulldogs against responded less than a minute later after a cross into the six-yard box was finished to make it 4-3 in favor of the road team.
Chances were had by both teams in the final 15 minutes, but the result ended with the Tigers on top, 4-3.
"We faced a lot of mental challenges with the way the game went; with the lightning delay, and I'm just really proud of our squad," said Hoppa.
Auburn gets back on the field on Friday when it kicks off the Auburn Soccer Classic against Iowa State. Play is set to begin at 7 p.m. at the Auburn Soccer Complex.