AUBURN, Ala. – After back-to-back road trips to begin the season, Auburn opens its home schedule against Syracuse Thursday evening. Kickoff at the Auburn Soccer Complex is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT.
Thursday's match will be broadcast on SEC Network+ and is available on the WatchESPN app. Brit Bowen and Mac Matthews will have the call from the broadcast booth. The contest will also be available on radio at WEGL 91.1.
Starting XI
Auburn split a pair of matches at the Bulldog Classic in Athens, Ga., last weekend. The Tigers defeated Maryland, 4-0, Friday before dropping a 3-1 decision to Virginia Tech Sunday.
Auburn is 20-4-2 all-time in home openers and 15-3-2 in home openers under Hoppa. The team has won four of its last five home openers dating back to 2014.
The Tigers have outscored their opponents 74-22 all-time in home openers and have turned in a 54-11 goal differential in home openers under Hoppa.
Auburn's home opener is the team's latest since playing Troy in the home opener on Sept. 7, 2007.
Auburn is 163-60-17 all-time at the Auburn Soccer Complex and has earned a result in 10 straight regular season, home contests against a non-conference opponent.
Senior midfielder Bri Folds has scored in back-to-back games, marking the third time since the start of last season she has scored in two or more consecutive games.
Already tied for fifth in game-winning goals (nine) and tied for eighth in assists (22), Folds needs just two more goals and three more points to also crack the top 10 in both categories.
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.
Scouting Syracuse
Syracuse enters Thursday's contest with a 2-1-0 record and is led by first-year head coach Nicky Adams.
The Orange started the season with back-to-back shutout wins against Colgate and Siena before losing on the road to Dartmouth.
Four different players – Shannon Aviza, Taylor Bennett, Sydney Brackett and Laurel Ness – have scored for Syracuse this season.
Promotions
First 200 fans through the gates will receive a vuvuzela.
Post-match autograph session.
Player to Watch: Sarah Houchin
Junior defender Sarah Houchin was named Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week honorable mention this week after turning in a two-goal performance, including her first collegiate goal, and helping lead the team to its first shutout win of the season against Maryland. It marked the first time in Houchin's career she has earned the weekly recognition.