AUBURN, Ala. — Auburn soccer scored its first goal in conference play this season, but it was not enough to keep the Commodores at bay as both teams battled to a 1-1 tie Friday at the Auburn Soccer Complex.
The Tigers (4-3-5, 0-3-1) got on the board in the 18th minute via a stellar shot from distance by way of midfielder Grace Sklopan. Auburn's back line would hold the Commodores (8-1-2, 2-1-1) scoreless for 89 and a half minutes, but Vanderbilt was able to sneak the literal last-minute goal with 31 seconds remaining on the clock following an indirect free kick.
"I thought we had some really good chances to get a couple more goals," Auburn head coach Karen Hoppa said. "They either just missed the frame or were susceptible to an unbelieve save from the keeper. You usually need two (goals) to win in this league. It was just a heartbreaking goal to give up at the end there."
As an offense, the Tigers saw nine shots from seven different players. Sklopan rung up her second goal of the season on her only shot of the night. Midfielder Anna Haddock was the only Tiger to have multiple chances, firing off three shots, all of which forced a save from the Commodore keeper.
Auburn's attack proved more accurate than its opponent, lacing six on-target shots, whereas Vanderbilt only found five on 12 total. Defender Ella Shamburger was credited with the unassisted Commodore goal.
In the net, goalkeeper Maddie Prohaska issued another commanding performance, saving four of five shots faced. The junior continues her streak of not allowing more than a single goal in any given game this season.
Also playing a major factor in the shut-down defensive performance were Madeline Moore, Hailey Whitaker, M.E. Craven and Hayden Colson. The foursome provided repeated stops and forced seven Vanderbilt shots astray.
Vanderbilt kickstarted the match in the second minute with a dangerous shot aimed for the left post by Alex Kerr, but Prohaska made the diving stuff to collect the 168th save of her career.
The Tigers retaliated a minute later as midfielder Hannah Waesch ripped a shot from the distance, her first shot of the season, but Vanderbilt's Wojodelko made the save at the bottom center of the net.
Auburn saw another dangerous chance in the 16th minute, with a horizontal pass from forward Carly Thatcher finding Haddock just inside the penalty arc for the shot near the right upper 90, however, the Tigers were once again denied by the opposing goalkeeper.
Sklopan would end the team's 408-minute denial streak in the 18th minute with a strike from 35 yards out that found the upper left half of the net. The goal was assisted by passes from Thatcher and Waesch.
"It felt really good," Sklopan said. "We really needed it. I saw the opportunity for the shot and the open net and I just kind of went for it and hit it. The tie is disappointing because we know we played really well, but a draw still gets us a point and at the end of the day, that's what we needed."
Prohaska would guarantee the first-half shutout with a clutch stop on another dangerous chance from Vanderbilt in the 29th minute, knocking away a shot from Sophia Gorski and collecting the save after catching the deflection.
In a second half that saw five shots from Auburn strikers, the best chance came via Haddock in the 55th minute, unleashing a bullet toward the bottom left corner of the Commodores goal following a cross from forward Olivia Candelino.
Vanderbilt would seal the heartbreaker of a tie with 31 seconds left on the game clock after the Commodores were awarded an indirect free kick inside the penalty box. Peyton Cutshall would take the shot off the free kick that was blocked by an Auburn defender. Shamburger caught the deflection and found the inside of the net after bouncing a second shot off another Tiger defender.
Up next, the Tigers trek to Lexington, Kentucky for a game against Wildcats Thursday, Oct. 6.