AUBURN, Ala. — Auburn soccer stifled a potent Florida Gulf Coast attack while netting five goals of its own to cruise to a 5-0 victory, the program’s 350th, Sunday afternoon at the Auburn Soccer Complex.
Auburn concludes nonconference play at 4-2-1. FGCU falls to 2-3-1.
“The whole thing was about closing the (nonconference) chapter in a positive manner,” Tigers head coach James Armstrong said. “I’m really proud of the performance today. We created a lot of chances and were clinical in front of goal when it mattered, and we gave a really good team few chances of their own.”
Auburn found its goals from seniors Taylor Chism, Dylan Driver and Erin Flurey and freshman Ava Caldwell.
“Always trying to be a big presence as a center forward,” Driver said. “I work on being strong back to goal and giving my teammates chances when I can, but Jordyn Crosby had a great drive down the line and set me up perfectly to score my first of the season.”
For the fifth time in seven matches, the Tigers’ defense shut out its opponent, allowing zero corner kicks and just three shots on goal.
“I’m so excited to end nonconference with a nice, shutout win,” senior defensive midfielder Hayden Colson said. “You’d be naïve to not understand how hard SEC play is. We’re focused on executing the little things, individually, so we can be successful down the stretch.”
Overall, Auburn outshot FGCU 26(14) to 6(3) and created seven attacking corner kicks while keeping 67% possession.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Flurey scored a top-shelf golazo to open the scoring in the 16th minute. Junior Jordyn Crosby took a throw-in deep into Auburn’s final third, finding the feet of Driver, who passed off to Flurey just inside the top left edge of the 18. On the half turn, Flurey ripped off a missile that penetrated the far post upper 90.
Less than three minutes later, a handball in the box from FGCU resulted in Auburn’s third awarded penalty kick of the season. Flurey stepped up to the spot and caught the keeper cheating right. She easily buried her shot high and to the left.
In the dying minutes of the first half, a corner kick was what the Tigers needed to find their third. Colson delivered a beautiful ball to the back post, where Chism had spun off her marker to sneak an open header into the back of the net.
In the 68th minute, Crosby made a run up the left side of the box and beat two Eagles defenders to find Driver wide open just outside the six-yard box. Driver cut right, then left before unleashing a left-footed shot that beat the keeper and bounced off the far post and in.
Caldwell put the cherry on top of the win with Auburn’s fifth and final score in the 75th minute. Senior Erin Houston dribbled around a pair of FGCU players inside the box and delivered a slight cutback pass to find Caldwell free in front of the center of the goal. Caldwell scored on her first touch with a left-footed bar-down rip.
AUBURN NOTABLES
Freshman Gracie Brown earned her first career start in the contest. She went 56 minutes in the midfield and laced one shot on frame.
Flurey buried Auburn’s first two goals of the day, marking her second multi-goal match of the season. She’s now scored seven times in seven appearances and is responsible for three of Auburn’s four game-winners.
On Auburn’s 39th-minute corner kick goal, Colson earned an assist for the well-placed service. It was the Denton, Texas native’s first assist since she earned a pair against Troy as a sophomore.
Playing left back for the first time in her career, Crosby picked up a pair of assists. She’s got four assists in her last four matches after having zero in the first 45 of her career.
Junior Avery Gillahan relieved Ayana Yapo in goal for the final 27 minutes of the match. Gillahan saved two shots from the Eagles’ leading goal-scorer to keep the shutout intact.
Driver bagged her first goal of the season while picking up her team-leading fifth assist. All five of her assists have come in the last five matches.
Caldwell’s goal to cap off the 5-0 win was the first of her career.
UP NEXT
Auburn opens Southeastern Conference play in Oxford, Mississippi, as the Tigers clash with Ole Miss on Friday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. CT.