Aug 25, 2013
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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Auburn soccer team suffered its first loss of the season Saturday, taking a 4-1 loss at No. 3 Florida State in Tallahassee, Fla. The Tigers fall to 0-1-1 on the season while Florida State improves to 2-0-0.
"We got beat by a better team today," said head coach Karen Hoppa. "Credit to Florida State. They lost a lot from last year, but they re-loaded, came out and played really well today."
Even with the loss, playing the third-ranked team in the country is something Hoppa thinks will benefit her team down the road.
"It is early in the season and we are going to learn a lot from this match," said Hoppa. "Playing this match today is going to make us better. With being such a young team, there is so much that we can take away from today."
Florida State struck early, taking a 1-0 lead in the 16th minute of the match. Bergland Thorvaldsdottir scored on a diving header at the left side of the goal off a cross from Marta Bakowska-Mathews.
The Seminoles struck again before the half as Nora Kervroedan scored on a penalty kick in the 41st minute, giving FSU a 2-0 lead. The kick occurred after AU's Chelsea Gandy-Cromer and an FSU player got tangled on the end line in a battle for the ball.
FSU got on the board early in the second half, taking a 3-0 lead in the 53rd minute. Jamia Fields found Thorvaldsdottir in front of the goal, about 12 yards out, setting up the redirect shot.
Thorvaldsdottir returned the favor in the 60th minute as she crossed a pass in from the left corner, setting up a header for Fields that gave FSU a 4-0 lead.
Auburn killed the shutout in the 86th minute as freshman Haley Roberson scored her first career goal. Senior Bianca Sierra set up the scoring situation with a corner kick. Casie Ramsier received the kick and headed it to the left post, but Roberson was there to finish off the play for the goal. The goal was the first scored on the third-ranked Seminoles this season.
Alyse Scott and Alicen Wright split time in the goal for Auburn with Scott getting the start and playing the first half. Scott totaled two saves while Wright, who played the entire second half in the goal, saved three.
Auburn will return to the field at 7 p.m. CT, Friday as the Tigers travel to Samford. The next home Auburn match will be on Friday, Sept. 6 as the Tigers host Mercer to open a six-match homestand.