Sept. 30, 2016
By Jeff Shearer
AuburnTigers.com
AUBURN, Ala. - She's scoring goals and collecting awards and attention, but when it comes to praise, Auburn junior Kristen Dodson prefers to pass.
"Honestly, it's my team," Dodson said. "I couldn't be where I am today without them. They really support me and push me when I need it."
Dodson scored four goals, two per game, in Auburn's recent road wins at No. 12 Florida and Georgia.
"The goal that stands out to me the most was the first Florida goal because I didn't expect to get there," she said. "I didn't think her touch was big enough for me to step in and win it. I think that one was just a shock."
Auburn defeated the Gators, 3-0, the Tigers' first program win in Gainesville.
"It's a great feeling," Dodson said. "I was just happy that our team performed well and was able to get the shutout. It's just the cherry on top, really."
Two days later, Dodson doubled down again in Athens.
"Anytime, you get a win, especially on the road, it's important," she said. "It helps build our confidence and pushes the momentum forward."
Dodson added a pair of assists to her goal barrage, earning SEC and national player of the week honors.
"I didn't really know until I started getting texts from my teammates," she said. "I'm just humbled. I didn't expect much, honestly. I just come out here to do the job that I'm supposed to."
Dodson will look to continue her scoring surge Friday at 7 p.m. when No. 20 Auburn welcomes Missouri. Homecoming weekend could add even more fans to the strong support Auburn soccer receives.
"It's fantastic," she said. "I'm friends with a couple of other (Auburn) teams, and I don't think it could get any better. I don't know any other friends of mine who are at different schools who are as close in Athletics as we are."
Growing up in the Chicago suburb of Aurora, Illinois, Dodson's recruiting visit to Auburn affirmed her interest in attending. Chalk up another win for the Auburn Family.
"When I came on my unofficial visit, I had been talking to (assistant coach) Ben (Madsen) for awhile. They were saying, `You don't know what it is until you get down here.' So I said, `Alright, I'll come visit,'" she said. "And honestly, just the overall atmosphere of Auburn is fantastic, and I didn't get that anywhere else that I visited. The campus is great. The program itself is amazing. So, I just wanted to be a part of it."
She doesn't have @twitter but Kristen Dodson does have 7 goals in just 10 @AuburnSoccer games in '16. One more to tie her 2014-15 total. pic.twitter.com/TkxbY8UslL
- Jeff Shearer (@jeff_shearer) September 27, 2016
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: Follow @jeff_shearer