ORANGE BEACH, Ala. – Auburn suffered a 2-1 loss in overtime to Alabama in the first round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament Sunday afternoon at the Orange Beach Sportsplex.
The Tigers (7-10-2) and Crimson Tide (10-6-3) went back-and-forth in the second half and early part of overtime before Alabama scored the game-winner off a corner kick in the 98th minute.
"I'm proud of (my team)," head coach Karen Hoppa said. "We left it all on that field. It's just a heartbreaker. That game was back and forth. I thought we had the better chances in overtime, but just couldn't get one to fall. Then an unlucky bounce ends the season."
After Alabama started the scoring in the contest in the ninth minute, Auburn evened the match with a goal from Jessie Gerow in the 31st minute. The senior forward took on a slew of defenders up the left wing and buried the shot near the end line, marking her fourth goal of the season.
The Tigers kept up the pressure in the closing minutes of the half as Bri Folds hit a free kick from 25 yards out that hit the crossbar. Minutes later, Angeline Daly struck one from the top of the box that sailed just wide of the upper 90.
Goalkeeper Kate Hart made four saves in the first half and kept the Tigers in it with six saves in the second half. Her 10 saves in the contest matched a season and career high and were also the most by an Auburn goalkeeper at the SEC Tournament since 2005.
"Kate was great," Hoppa added. "That's what you need from a senior goalkeeper in the playoffs. She was terrific. Kept them off the board and made some great saves."
Brooke Berdan came up with a big-time clearance on an Alabama chance in the final 30 seconds to force overtime. The Tigers nearly won it when Jaelyn Gadson and Jessie Gerow narrowly missed on back-to-back chances in the opening minutes of overtime.
The Tigers loss snapped a record streak of seven straight wins in the rivalry series against Alabama.