AUBURN, Ala. – No. 9 Auburn (9-0-0, 1-0-0 SEC) takes on LSU (6-3-0, 0-1-0 SEC) in its first Southeastern Conference road test of the season Thursday at 7 p.m. CT at the LSU Soccer Stadium. The contest will be broadcast on SEC Network+.
Starting XI
Auburn is off to a 9-0-0 start for the first time in program history. The Tigers enter the week as one of six remaining teams with an unblemished record and is one of just two teams (Texas A&M) with nine or more wins this season.
The Tigers remain at to No. 9 in the United Soccer Coaches poll and No. 15 in the Top Drawer Soccer poll this week. The No. 9 ranking ties the 2015 team for the second-highest ranking in program history.
Auburn has outscored its opponents 32-3 in nine games this season. The 32 goals are already seven more than the Tigers scored last season, and the team's 29-goal differential is the largest in the country.
The Tigers hold a 17-8-2 advantage in the all-time series vs. LSU and haven't lost a match in the series since 2010. Auburn is also 6-5-0 in games contested in Baton Rouge.
Auburn opened its SEC season with a 3-0 win against Mississippi State in front of a capacity crowd of 1,533 - the largest regular season crowd since 2012. With a win Thursday, Auburn would start SEC play 2-0 for the first time since 2011.
Auburn enters the week as the national leader in goals (32), assists (36), points (100) and points per game (11.11). The team also leads the SEC in scoring offense (3.56), assists per game (4.00), shots per game (19.78) and shots on goal per game (9.22).
Twelve different Tigers have scored a goal this season, led by a career best seven goals from junior Bri Folds. The team's 12 goal scorers are tied for the third most in the country.
Senior Taylor Troutman was named to the Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week after leading the Auburn defense to a pair of shutouts while also matching a career high with three points on a goal and assist vs. Alabama State.
Scouting LSU
LSU enters the week is a 6-3-0 overall record and is 0-1-0 in conference play after losing to Texas A&M last week on the road.
The Tigers have played a pair of common opponents, defeating Samford (2-0) at home and losing to Cincinnati (2-1) on the road.
Offensively, Adrienne Richardson leads the way with nine points on four goals and an assist.
Goalkeeper Caroline Brockmeier is holding opponents to a 0.78 goals against average and has turned in six shutouts.
Player to Watch: Bri Folds
Folds has not only scored in three straight matches, but all three goals have held up as the game-winner. The Lakeland, Florida, native would tie the program record for consecutive matches scored in with a goal Thursday. Folds leads the team in goals (seven), assists (six), points (20) and game-winning goals (five) and has already registered career highs in three of the four categories.
No. 9 Auburn Travels to LSU for First SEC Road Test
