AUBURN, Ala. — Southeastern Conference soccer action is headed to The Plains as Auburn hosts Missouri at the Auburn Soccer Complex Thursday, Sept. 21. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.
"We're really hoping for a big crowd this week," Auburn head coach Karen Hoppa said. "It's an important game for us against a team who is riding high right now. Missouri is a very hard-working club, so they're going to make us earn every opportunity, which is what conference play is all about."
Traditionally, the battle of the Tigers is tightly contested as eight of nine matchups in history were decided by one goal or less. While Missouri holds the 5-3-1 all-time advantage, Auburn picked up all three of its wins within the last five matches of the series.
Fans should expect a defensive battle as five of the previous meetings have resulted in a one-sided shutout, including each of the last three, which were all won by a score of 1-0. Only once has either team scored more than twice in a match, in 2014, when Auburn picked up the 3-2 win at home.
Last season, Auburn fell 1-0 in Columbia to open SEC play. Mizzou's Kylie Dobbs found the back of the net in the 34th minute, and it held up as the game-winner. In the match, Auburn was outshot 12-4 and only mustered a single shot on goal, courtesy of Sydnie Thibodaux. Maddie Prohaska went the distance in-net and saved seven of eight on-frame chances faced.
Overall, the Orange & Blue return 13 players, seven starters, who earned minutes in last year's game.
This week, Auburn (4-3-1, 0-1) looks to rebound after a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to Mississippi State to open league play. The Tigers found a handful of remarkable individual performances versus the Bulldogs but could not catch the break they needed to penetrate the goal line.
Prohaska turned in another dominant goalkeeping display, fending off nine MSU corner kicks and stuffing seven of eight shots on goal. Freshmen Maquena O'Callaghan and Jessica Osborne earned their first career starts in an Auburn uniform and played 42 and 84 minutes, respectively. The Tigers also debuted a new starting formation versus Mississippi State, the 3-5-2, after starting in a 4-3-3 in their previous eight matches.
Mizzou (5-1-2, 1-0) heads to The Plains fresh off a 3-2 road win at Florida to commence its conference schedule. The Tigers were outshot by the Gators, 10-5, but capitalized with three goals all coming in the first 50 minutes of the match.
Offensively, Missouri is led by Kylee Simmons, who paces the SEC with seven goals scored and 16 total points. In net, the opposing Tigers have split time between Bella Hollenbach and Kate Phillips. Hollenbach owns a 1.25 goals against average with 13 saves and a .722 save percentage. Phillips' GAA is 2.14 thanks to 11 saves and a .579 save percentage.
Several promotions are in order for Thursday's "Battle of the Tigers." The match will be Auburn Athletics Staff Appreciation Night. Auburn staff in attendance will receive a voucher for free popcorn and are permitted to watch the game from the white tent on the south end of the field.
Complimentary Smoothie King will also be available to the first 150 fans to arrive Thursday evening, and finally, 250 Auburn soccer rally towels will be given away on a first come, first serve basis. Gates open 30 minutes prior to first touch.
Following the Tiger-on-Tiger brawl, Auburn heads to Oxford, Mississippi to play Ole Miss Sunday, Sept. 24 at 2 p.m. CT. The match will be broadcast on the SEC Network.