Oct. 31, 2017
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ORANGE BEACH, Ala. -- The Auburn soccer team (7-6-5) suffered a hard-fought 1-0 loss to Florida (14-5-0) in the quarterfinal round of the SEC Tournament at the Orange Beach Sportsplex Tuesday afternoon.
"It was a hard-fought match," said head coach Karen Hoppa. "Credit to Florida. They scored on a brilliant free kick. I thought we played better overall and created a ton of chances. We just lacked that bit of composure in the final third that has been missing in some of our matches. It's something we're going to work on and try to correct as we go into the NCAA Tournament."
Senior forward Kristen Dodson led the Auburn attack as she totaled a team-high three shots, including one on frame. Fellow seniors Courtney Schell and Ellie Leek also registered a shot on goal.
Auburn ripped off five shots in the opening 20 minutes of the match, but Florida was the team to break a scoreless tie with a goal on a free kick from just outside the 18-yard box in the 31st minute.
The Auburn defense held strong and the Tigers fought for the equalizer for the remainder of the match, but the team ultimately came up short against the third-seeded Gators.
It was Auburn's first loss against Florida in the last four meetings. The goal was the Gators' second during the span, and Florida entered the match scoring nearly two goals per contest this season.
Fifteen Tigers saw action in the contest, including seven that played the entire 90 minutes.
"It's a great tournament," Hoppa said. "The league is unbelievable, maybe the strongest it's ever been. I think there are teams at home that have a shot at a NCAA bid, and the competition here is outstanding. It's a great facility and a great tournament here in Orange Beach."
Auburn will await the NCAA Selection Show to be aired Monday, Nov. 6 at 3:30 p.m. CT. The Tigers are looking to make their fourth straight and 15th overall appearance in the NCAA Tournament.