Auburn kicks off second half of league play vs. Texas A&M

Auburn Notes
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Cat Wofford/Auburn Athletics

AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn (6-5-2, 3-2-0 SEC) begins the second half of Southeastern Conference play by welcoming No. 13 Texas A&M (9-2-3, 3-1-1 SEC) to The Plains Sunday. Kickoff at the Auburn Soccer Complex is scheduled for 4 p.m. CT.

Sunday's match will be broadcast on ESPNU and is also available on the WatchESPN app. It marks the third of three nationally televised broadcasts for the Tigers this season. The contest will also be available on radio at WEGL 91.1.

Admission to all Auburn soccer home matches is free.

Starting XI

Auburn enters the weekend with a 3-2-0 record in SEC play and is in a tie for fifth in the league, just behind Texas A&M (3-1-1) in fourth.

The Tigers are coming off a 3-2 loss at Mississippi State and have yet to lose back-to-back games this season. The team hasn't lost back-to-back games since Oct. 18 vs. Vanderbilt and Oct. 21 at Arkansas last year.

The team is 167-61-18 (.715) all-time at the Auburn Soccer Complex and 37-9-3 (.786) at home since the start of the 2015 season.

The Tigers have allowed just one goal and have outscored the opponent 14-1 in games they have won this season.

Sunday marks Auburn's third game against a ranked opponent this season. The Tigers are 1-1-0 against ranked foes after dropping the season opener at No. 14 South Florida, 2-1, and defeating No. 18 Tennessee, 1-0, at home on Sept. 26.

Four of Auburn's last five contests of the season are against a ranked opponent, all currently in the top 20 of one of the two major polls. 

Goalkeeper Kate Hart would move into a tie for seventh in Auburn's single-season history with another shutout. Hart was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week for her performance against LSU last Thursday.

Auburn is 3-6-0 all-time in the series against Texas A&M, but the Tigers are 2-1-0 against the Aggies at home and have won each of the last two contests on The Plains.

The Tigers haven't surrendered a goal to the Aggies in each of the last two contests at the Auburn Soccer Complex. Auburn emerged victorious, 2-0, on Oct. 11, 2015 and defeated the Aggies, 1-0, on Sept. 15, 2017.

Scouting Texas A&M

Texas A&M enters the weekend with a 9-2-3 overall record and is 3-1-1 in SEC play after drawing with Alabama earlier this week.

Led by Jimena Lopez – 25 points on seven goals and 11 assists – and Ally Watt – 22 points on eight goals and six assists – the Aggies rank in the top 10 in the country in goals (34), assists (39) and points (107).

On the other side of the ball, Texas A&M and goalkeeper Shantel Hutton has allowed nine goals and have pitched nine shutouts in 14 contests this season.

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Player to Watch: Bri Folds

Folds has gotten on the scoresheet in each of her last two starts since missing some time with an ankle injury at start league play. The senior midfielder scored her team-high sixth goal of the season and 24th of her career at Mississippi State Thursday. She is just the fifth player in program history to rank in the top 10 in both career goals and assists (25).