FORT MYERS, Fla. – Coming off a tough loss in the season opener at No. 14 South Florida, Auburn continues its season-opening weekend with a road test at Florida Gulf Coast Sunday.
Kickoff at the FGCU Soccer Complex is scheduled for 12 p.m. CT, and the contest will be broadcast on ESPN+.
Starting XI
With the score tied, 1-1, in the final minute of action in the season opener at USF Thursday night, the Bulls scored in the final 20 seconds of the contest to win the season opener by a score of 2-1.
The Tigers are coming off the program's fifth straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament and its 16th NCAA appearance in the last 18 seasons. The team is one of 13 teams in the country to make five straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
Auburn was picked to finish seventh by the SEC coaches in the annual preseason poll.
Seniors Treva Aycock and Bri Folds and junior Alyssa Malonson were named to the SEC Soccer Preseason Watch List this week. All three honorees earned All-SEC recognition following the 2018 regular season.
Sunday marks the second all-time meeting between Auburn and FGCU. The two teams previously met in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in 2014 with the Tigers emerging victorious, 1-0.
Auburn's 2019 roster consists of 23 players, including eight freshmen, seven sophomores, four juniors and four seniors.
The Tigers return 33 of 42 goals scored (79 percent), 39 of 46 assists (85 percent) and 105 of 130 points (81 percent) from last year's team.
Auburn's 39 assists returning from last season are tied for the most in the league. The team's 33 goals and 105 points returning are also the fourth most in the SEC.
Hoppa has led the Tigers to 17 winning seasons in 20 years on The Plains, including 15 seasons with 10 or more wins. She notched her 300th career win with a 1-0 victory at Missouri (Oct. 14) last year.
Scouting FGCU
FGCU enters the match with a 1-0-0 record after defeating FIU, 2-0, in its season opener Thursday in Fort Myers.
The Eagles, who have made an appearance in six of the last eight NCAA Tournaments, were picked to finish second in the ASUN Preseason Poll.
Senior Marjorie Boilesen accounted for both goals in Thursday's win. Fellow senior Evdokia Popadinova was named to the Hermann Trophy Preseason Watch List earlier this month.
Player to Watch: Jessie Gerow
Named one of two team captains last week, Jessie Gerow entered Thursday's game at USF in the 25th minute and quickly made her presence felt as she scored the equalizer on a header off a corner kick. It was Gerow's sixth goal since the start of last season.