AUBURN, Ala. — Auburn’s offense was too much to handle Thursday night at the Auburn Soccer Complex as the Tigers poured on the goal-scoring, downing Southern Miss in convincing fashion, 6-0.
“Everything went well tonight. We were firing on all cylinders,” head coach Karen Hoppa said. “Our defense was really solid and limited any opportunities from the opponent. Then, we scored some great goals. They came out hot early and that really set the tone for tonight.”
In the first of two Senior Weekend celebrations, the Tigers found a foursome of goals from three of their senior players, including a brace from Sydnie Thibodaux, the 90th in program history.
“Credit to my goalkeeper, Maddie Prohaska, she was able to share with us some chances that she saw were open, and thankfully, I was able to take advantage of some of them.”
It was a career-high night for the veteran from Montgomery, Texas as she also picked an assist on Auburn’s third goal of the evening to bank five points in the match.
As a team, the Tigers outshot the Golden Eagles 21-1, also winning six corner kicks. Auburn’s backline held Southern Miss shotless for 86 minutes and did not give up a chance on frame for the duration of the match. Senior Maddie Prohaska and sophomore Taylor Richards split duties in goal.
Senior Anna Haddock started the slugfest 10 minutes into the match, finding space at the top of the box to receive a pass from junior Shelby Sallee and slot it home inside left post.
Sallee and Haddock pulled the reverse in the 24th minute as Haddock connected to Sallee after intercepting a Southern Miss pass. Sallee took two touches before blasting a ball off a Golden Eagles defender that found its home just under the crossbar.
“It was so exciting to score my first goal at Auburn,” Sallee said. “I wasn’t sure if it was going in, but you’ve got to shot to score, so that’s what I did.”
Haddock picked up her 33rd career assist on the play. She now trails Katy Frierson’s program record by nine.
In minute 37, senior Olivia Candelino put the Tigers up by three. Sophomore Dylan Driver and Thibodaux pulled the opposing defense to one side of the box, leaving Candelino wide open on the left to receive from Thibodaux and curl a beauty past the goalkeeper and inside the far post.
Auburn found its final first-half goal in the 44th minute from sophomore Jordyn Crosby. Freshman Lily Borders held the ball up near the top of the box just long enough for Crosby to make a run to her right, take two touches, and finish it home with her left foot.
Thibodaux put up the fifth in 61st minute as she caught the Golden Eagles goalkeeper too far off her line and made her pay for it, ripping off a shot from nearly 30 yards out that tracked right into the back of the net. 10 minutes later, she struck again, taking advantage of a foul drawn in a dangerous location. Standing over the free kick, Thibodaux opted to go for goal herself and placed a beautiful ball over a box full of bodies and inside the top left corner of the net.
The six-spot for Auburn marks the most goals in a match since it hung nine on Southern Miss on Aug. 21, 2022.
Next up, Auburn hosts Coastal Carolina for the final match of its Senior Weekend series. Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m. CT on Sunday, Aug. 25. Aubie’s Kids Club members will receive an exclusive t-shirt.