Aug. 31, 2017 Auburn vs. No. 9 North Carolina
(2-1-0, 2017 RECORD) vs. (2-1-0, 2017 RECORD)
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Match
| Friday, Sept. 1 | 4 p.m. | --> |
| Auburn vs. North Carolina | ||
AUBURN, Ala. ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" The Auburn soccer team is set to take the pitch this weekend when it travels to Durham, N.C. for the Duke Nike Classic, Sept. 1-3. The Tigers open the tournament against No. 9 North Carolina Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. CT.
Auburn closes the classic against host No. 12 Duke Sunday at 12:30 p.m. CT. Both matches will be streamed on ACC Network Extra and the WatchESPN app.
Following their two top-15 battles, the Tigers return home for a non-conference tilt with High Point, Sept. 8. Kickoff is slated for 6:30 p.m. CT at the Auburn Soccer Complex.
Starting XI
Auburn heads to Durham, N.C. for its toughest non-conference weekend of the season when it takes on No. 9 North Carolina and No. 13 Duke.
The Tigers and Tar Heels have faced off two times in series history with North Carolina taking the first result in 2001 before the teams earned a 0-0 draw in 2009.
Auburn has picked up eight victories against ACC foes all-time, defeating the likes of Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Miami, Pittsburgh, Virginia and Wake Forest.
The Tigers are 1-0-1 in the state of North Carolina all-time. Auburn defeated Wake Forest in Winston-Salem 3-1 in 1994 and drew against North Carolina 0-0 in 2009.
Auburn was picked to finish sixth by the SEC coaches in the annual preseason poll. The Tigers trail Florida, Texas A&M, South Carolina, Missouri and Arkansas in the poll.
Seniors Kristen Dodson and Courtney Schell were joined by junior Sarah Le Beau and sophomore Bri Folds as honorees on the SEC Preseason Watch List.
Auburn is 34-14-4 all-time in the month of August. In that span, the Tigers have outscored the opposition 108-46 and average 2.1 goals per game.
The Tigers boast 19 underclassmen on their roster this season, including 12 freshmen. In contrast, Auburn touts 10 upperclassmen with six seniors leading the charge.
Auburn set a program record with 17 wins a season ago and reached the NCAA Quarterfinals for the first time in team history.
Head coach Karen Hoppa has coached 15 winning seasons at Auburn with nine of them being 12-win seasons.
Senior midfielder Courtney Schell and junior goalkeeper Sarah Le Beau were voted the team captains and will wear the "C" armbands throughout the season.
Player to Watch: Bri Folds
Sophomore Bri Folds has made a name for herself in the first half of her career for the orange and blue. The Lakeland, Fla. native has scored six goals and 10 assists for a total of 22 points in 28 matches played. Folds' contributions on the road have been key to Auburn's results as she has scored goals at Florida, Georgia, Kentucky and Clemson. The Tigers are 3-1-0 in that span.
Top-15 Tilts
Since head coach Karen Hoppa took over in 1999, the Tigers have picked up 13 wins when facing a top-15 opponent, including four away from home, and have earned a draw in two matches.
Auburn most recently picked up four victories against top-15 opposition in 2016 and have tallied nine victories versus said foes since 2010.