AUBURN, Ala. – It was a fitting Senior Day for Sarah Houchin on Saturday as the senior centerback helped Auburn pick up another clean sheet, its seventh of the season, in a 3-0 victory over a South Alabama squad who entered tops in the nation in goals, assists and points.
Senior goalkeeper Dani Kaufman also contributed to the shutout, taking over in goal for starter Maddie Prohaska with 11 minutes remaining.
"It feels really great," Houchin said. "I was just really happy to be able to spend it with my team. Those are the people that mean the most to me, my teammates. I know they all played really hard for me and Dani today, so it was really good to go out with a win."
"I'm really pleased for the seniors," added head coach Karen Hoppa. "Great that Kaufman got in as a grad transfer senior. And then Sara Houchin, what she's meant to this program as a four-year starter, two-year captain, All-SEC centerback – I'm really happy that we sent her out on a win."
It was the fourth straight victory for an Auburn team (9-5-3) who is getting hot at the right time.
Offensively, it was a pair of freshmen who found the back of the net in the first half to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead at the break. In the ninth minute, Hailey Whitaker played it up the right flank to Olivia Candelino, and the freshman snuck it inside the far post for her third goal of the spring.
Later, in the 33rd minute, freshman midfielder Anna Haddock hit a left-footed strike from 25 yards out and bent it past the diving goalkeeper inside the right post. It was Haddock's second goal of the season and her team-best 12th point.
Junior Hailey Whitaker, who assisted on both of the first-half goals, joined the scoring in the second half with a goal of her own in the 53rd minute. Whitaker corralled a cross from freshman Mallory Mooney in the box, and after her first attempt was blocked, she got it back and pushed it past the keeper for her second goal of the season.
With a goal and two assists, Whitaker matched her career high with four points on the day.
Candelino, who led Auburn with four shots Saturday, nearly made it 4-0 but her shot in the 59th minute caromed off the post. As a team, the Tigers outshot South Alabama, 17-5.
"I thought it was a really quality offensive performance," Hoppa said. "I thought we could have had some more, and we weren't as sharp as we could've been in the final third. But overall, a really good result. We limited their opportunities at goal, we got a lot of players a lot of minutes and created some really good goal-scoring chances."
Auburn has now won 13 straight against South Alabama in the series.
The Tigers, who boosted their NCAA chances with Saturday's win, will get two weeks off before wrapping up the regular season against Virginia Tech on Saturday, April 17. The match will be played in Bradenton, Florida.
