AUBURN, Ala. – The weekly awards continued for Carly Thatcher Tuesday as she was named Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week honorable mention.
A day after being named the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week, Thatcher becomes the fourth Auburn player to be recognized by Top Drawer Soccer through four weeks of the season.
After battling an injury and playing sparingly in the first five games of the season, Thatcher made her season-high 27 minutes against Alabama A&M count as she turned in the 14th hat trick in program history, including the second by an Auburn freshman in a span of seven contests. Her hat trick was the first by a freshman in the SEC and, at the time, the third by a freshman nationally this season.
A native of Greer, S.C., Thatcher put all three of her shots against the Bulldogs into the back of the net. Her first two career goals spanned 30 seconds apart and marked the fastest two goals scored by an Auburn player since Tammy Waine scored a pair of goals 15 seconds apart in the season opener in 2000.
Thatcher's first goal in an Auburn uniform came in the 33rd minute, when she fired with the right foot and snuck it inside the far post. Thirty seconds later, she hit a one-timer with the left foot and beat the Alabama A&M keeper. Finally, Thatcher put the finishing touches on her hat trick and the 5-0 win with a left-footed rebound in the 64th minute.
Less than 72 hours later, Thatcher logged a new season high with 34 minutes against the No. 1 team in the country in Florida State.
Thatcher and the Tigers (6-1-0) kick off SEC play against Georgia (7-1-0) Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT at the Auburn Soccer Complex.