AUBURN, Ala. – With a trip to the SEC Tournament on the line, Auburn (12-5-1, 4-5-1 SEC) picked up a pivotal 2-1 win against Alabama (8-8-3, 2-6-2 SEC) Thursday night at the Auburn Soccer Complex.
The win marks Auburn's sixth straight in the Iron Bowl of Soccer and its 11th in the last 12 contests against the Crimson Tide. It also sends the Tigers to the SEC Tournament for the 18th straight season, marking the second longest streak in the conference.
"The rivalry is just incredible," Hoppa said. "It's always a tough game, and it's a big win. Bigger than even the rivalry, it secures postseason for us from a SEC Tournament standpoint and puts us in great position for the NCAA Tournament, too."
Gianna Montini got the Tigers out to an early lead with her second goal of the season, while Bri Folds added her team-best ninth goal of the year on a penalty kick in the 83rd minute. It was Folds' sixth game-winner of the season, tying the Auburn single-season record.
"I thought we played really well," head coach Karen Hoppa said. "Credit to Alabama's goalkeeper, because she played big to keep it a 1-0 game, and they pressed us late and got a good goal. I was really proud of my team to respond and draw a PK. Then Bri Folds was as cool as a cucumber putting that one away."
Auburn wasted no time in getting on the scoreboard as Dani Solaru laid a pass off to Montini in the 11th minute, and the senior struck it with the right foot into the upper 90 to give Auburn the early lead.
"It was just unreal," Montini said. "I'm not even sure what happened in the moment, I was just happy to be able to do it for the team and get us on the board early."
Auburn played with the lead for the next 72 minutes before Alabama evened the score in the 83rd minute. However, the Tigers responded less than 60 seconds later as a foul was called in the box, and Folds put her fourth penalty kick of the season away.
As Auburn's pace of play picked up, so did Alabama's, but the Auburn defense, led by redshirt senior Sarah Le Beau in goal, thwarted away nine shots in the second half to help secure the victory.
"It was overall team defense," Le Beau said. "We had to pay attention to the details since the weather conditions weren't the greatest. We just had our bodies behind the ball and make sure our clearers were over their line."
Auburn enters the SEC Tournament as the No. 9 seed and will take on No. 8 Florida (6-9-3, 4-4-2) in the first round Sunday at 3:30 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
Auburn Defeats Alabama to Clinch Berth in SEC Tournament
