AUBURN, Ala. – After falling behind for the first time this season, No. 24 Auburn (4-0-0) scored four unanswered goals en route to defeating Louisiana (1-2-1), 4-1, Sunday afternoon at the Auburn Soccer Complex.
It marks the sixth time in program history and second time since 2006 the Tigers have improved to 4-0-0.
"Louisiana did a great job defending and was really organized in the back," head coach Karen Hoppa said. "They presented a lot of challenges for us offensively. We talked about it at halftime, and I was proud of the team for not getting frustrated."
After six different Tigers scored Friday night, four players turned in goals Sunday including Hailey Whitaker, Bri Folds, Jessie Gerow and Angeline Daly. The score for Whitaker was the first of her collegiate career and the goals for her three teammates were their third of the season.
The Tigers outshot the Ragin' Cajuns 28-3 in the match and took 17 corners to the opponents' zero.
"We felt like we had the upper hand in the first half but one mistake led to their goal," Whitaker said. "After halftime we had to rebuild, so we came out and did what we had to do in the second half. When we calmed down, it really came together."
Auburn fell behind for the first time this season when Louisiana got on the scoreboard in the 43rd minute with the goal coming on its lone shot of the half. However, the Ragin' Cajuns' lead lasted just over a minute thanks to Whitaker. The Birmingham, Alabama, native took a lob from Taylor Troutman from near midfield and converted her first career goal to even things up going into halftime.
"Hailey has been great at three different positions," Hoppa said. "Our biggest challenge as coaches is figuring out how to use her to the best of her abilities. We put her in up top today and it worked great. She brings speed, technical ability and is a good defender. She brings a little bit of everything."
The teams remained tied until the midway point of the second half when Folds lifted one with her left foot towards the far corner of the frame and found the back of the net over the mitt of Lousiana's Victoria Ryan in goal.
"We got a big time goal from Bri to open up the game for us, and we were able to get a couple more," Hoppa added.
Like Folds, both Gerow and Daly recorded their team-best-tying third goals of the season to put the match away in the final minutes. Gerow received a pass from Whitaker just outside the six-yard box and finished with a sliding right-footer to extend the lead to 3-1. Less than four minutes later, Daly dribbled down the seam of the field and let it fly with her left foot from just outside the 18-yard box and into the upper 90.
"We're going to California next weekend, so we feel like this team camaraderie is going to put us ahead."
Auburn heads West for a pair of Labor Day Weekend road contests against Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State next Friday and Sunday, respectively.
No. 24 Auburn Defeats Louisiana Behind Second Half Surge
