AUBURN, Ala. — Thanks to a 60th-minute game-winner from junior Sydnie Thibodaux, Auburn soccer knocked off its first top-10 opponent since 2017 with a 2-1 defeat of No. 6 Arkansas Sunday at the Auburn Soccer Complex.
The win also locked down Auburn's highest caliber upset since defeating No. 5 Duke in 2011.
"This was the first time we had a total team effort on both ends of the ball this year," Tigers head coach Karen Hoppa said. "We are capable of amazing things when we play like that for the full 90. I thought our bench was fantastic. Everyone that came in the game made an impact. Everyone did what they needed to do to help us win the game, all 28 of them."
Auburn improves to 6-5-3 on the season and 2-3-1 in league play.
The Tigers outshot Arkansas 12-10 and capitalized on two of its four on-target chances to hand the Razorbacks their first conference loss of the year. It was Auburn's first win over the Hogs since 2016.
Senior Anna Haddock led the Orange & Blue with four shots and scored the game's opening goal in the third minute. Thibodaux also fired off a pair and netted the first game-winner of her tenure in minute 60. Auburn found its fourth and final on-goal opportunity from sophomore Erin Houston in the 71st minute.
Defensively, Auburn's back line delivered a suffocating performance and kept the Razorbacks to just one goal for only the second time in the previous 11 meetings. In addition to Houston, defenders LJ Knox, Jessica Osborne, Mallory Mooney and Hayden Colson all earned big minutes and made the most of them. In goal, senior Maddie Prohaska allowed the lone goal and picked up the 33rd victory of her career while making a trio of saves.
It took no time for the Tigers' offense to pick up steam as a free kick opportunity near the top left edge of the box drawn by fifth year Sydney Richards was all Haddock needed to penetrate the goal line. Haddock rifled off a shot on far post that took one bounce in the goal area and bent past the keeper and into the back of the net. It was her second-straight goal off a set piece.
"Arkansas is a great team, but we took advantage of the opportunities we created, and it paid off for us," Haddock said. "It felt great to get one in as early as we did. I think that really set the tone for the game. We bent but never broke, and I'm so proud everyone on this team for showing the fight and determination to get this win."
Haddock now has 18 goals in her four seasons on The Plains, six of which have come versus top-25 teams.
Auburn fought off the Hogs for the half's remaining 42 minutes to take the narrow, 1-up lead into the break. Arkansas leveled the score in the 54th minute thanks to Ava Tankersly, but the draw did not hold up for long as Thibodaux put the Tigers back on top less than seven minutes later.
Senior Maddie Simpson initiated the scoring drive as she won the ball at midfield and played a slant up to Thibodaux on her right. Thibodaux dribbled up field and unleashed a screamer from 10 yards outside of the box that found a home on the right top shelf.
"I just hit it. That's all I can really say," Thibodaux said. "I was looking for my window and I found it. We've been saying that we can hang with any team in the country, and this is a huge confidence boost and the validation that we truly can."
Four of five goals in the career of Thibodaux have now come against ranked opponents. Simpson picked up the assist on the play, her third of the season and the fifth of her career.
Up next, Auburn welcomes Texas A&M to the Auburn Soccer Complex for a Friday-night showdown Oct. 13 at 6:30 p.m. CT. The match will be Military Appreciation Night.
