March 4, 2017 AUBURN, Ala. - The Auburn soccer team opened its annual spring season with an exhibition against SEC foe Mississippi State. Although the Tigers dropped a 2-0 decision, there were plenty of positives to come out of the 90-minute affair.
"It was evident it was the first spring game," said head coach Karen Hoppa. "We're still getting used to playing with each other, playing in a new shape with a lot of new players. Offensively, we showed a couple of really creative flashes. There are things that we can build on and we've just got to clean up defensively."
Mississippi State, who had already played a game earlier this spring came out with a fast start and scored a goal in the first half.
Auburn had chances to level it up, including its best of the match when Kristen Dodson and Bri Folds had a 1-2 combination play that freed Dodson for a shot that just narrowly missed the back of the net.
The Tigers controlled the pace of play and were on the ball more than the Bulldogs, but Mississippi State added a second to take the exhibition, 2-0.
Rocio Sanders made her debut for Auburn and showed her creative skill on and off the ball in the action she saw on the pitch.
Auburn returns to the field Thursday when it travels to Samford for its second spring game of 2017. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. in Birmingham, Ala.
