AUBURN, Ala. —The Auburn soccer team is back home for one final face off on The Plains as the No. 24 Tigers host FIU for the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament on Friday, Nov. 15 at 6 p.m. CT.
This weekend marks the program’s 18th appearance in The Big Dance, all of which have come under head coach Karen Hoppa.
“This opportunity to host a postseason game at home is a testament to our hard work that started after the conclusion of last season,” Hoppa said. “We left some things out there last home match and ended with a tie. This is a chance for us to come out, make a statement and send our seniors off with one final win at the Auburn Soccer Complex.”
The Tigers are 13-17-0 all-time in the tournament. Auburn’s best run came in 2016, when it clinched the program’s first Elite Eight appearance with wins over South Alabama (4-0), No. 13 UConn (4-1) and No. 9 Florida (3-1). The Tigers were knocked off in the national quarterfinals by eventual champion, No. 3 USC, in a narrow 1-0 contest.
Auburn’s last NCAA appearance came in 2021. The Tigers hosted Samford for the first round and were bested 2-0.
Led by head coach Jonathan Garbar, FIU appears in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in its history. The Tigers and Panthers have never met in regular season or postseason competition prior to this week.
At 13-4-2 overall, the Panthers closed the year on a five-match undefeated streak to capture the Conference USA Tournament Championship. Senior defender Deborah Bien-Aime converted on a 47th-minute penalty kick to seal FIU’s 1-0 win over two-seed Liberty in the final.
A total of eight Panthers were recognized as all-conference players following the regular season. Senior forward Noemi Paquin’s 15 goals and three assists were enough to secure her place at the C-USA Player of the Year. Senior defender Reagan Bridges led her squad with nearly 1,700 minutes played while also netting a goal. Bridges was voted the C-USA Defender of the Year.
As customary with postseason competition, overtime now returns to the pitch. If two teams stand tied after 90 minutes of regulation, a pair of 10-minute overtime periods will ensue. Golden goal will be in effect, meaning the first team to score in extra time will end the match. If no winner has been decided in overtime, a penalty kick shootout will determine the advancing squad.
Friday’s match will be broadcast on ESPN+. Nick Flohre and Brit Bowen have the call.
As this week’s match is an NCAA event, fans will need to purchase a $10 ticket to gain admission to the match. Tickets for the Tigers’ first-round faceoff are available for purchase here.
The full 2024 NCAA Women’s Soccer Tournament bracket can be found here.