June 22, 2018
AUBURN, Ala. - Having advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in four straight seasons, Auburn soccer and head coach Karen Hoppa have announced the team's 2018 schedule.
The fall slate is again a challenging one as the Tigers will take on 10 teams that made the NCAA Tournament last season, meaning that half of the team's matches, including one of two exhibition contests, will be played against opponents coming off a postseason berth.
"We are excited to announce our 2018 schedule," Hoppa said. "It will be an extremely challenging schedule highlighted with a trip out to California and a conference schedule that includes one of last year's semifinalists."
The Tigers' 2018 schedule begins with a pair of exhibition matches. The team travels to Clemson, S.C., for a 5 p.m. CT kickoff against the Tigers on Wednesday, Aug. 8 and returns home to host Kennesaw State in its final tune-up before the 2018 regular season on Saturday, August 11 at 6:30 p.m.
Auburn opens the regular season with an in-state tilt at Samford on Thursday, Aug. 16 at 7 p.m. in Birmingham, marking the first time the Tigers have had a regular-season opener on the road since 2015.
The Tigers then return home for three matches in a span of eight days. The team's home opener vs. USF is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 19 at 1 p.m. Auburn will then welcome UAB and Louisiana Lafayette to the Auburn Soccer Complex the following weekend. Kickoff against the Blazers is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 24 at 6:30 p.m. with the match against the Ragin' Cajuns slated for Sunday, Aug. 26 at 2 p.m.
A trip out West awaits Auburn on Labor Day weekend as the Tigers will take on Cal State Fullerton on Friday, Aug 31 at 9:30 p.m. and turn around two days later to face Long Beach State on Sunday, Sept. 2 at 7 p.m.
Auburn's second three-match homestand in a span of eight days and its Southeastern Conference opener follows the team's return from California. Cincinnati makes its way to The Plains on Sunday, Sept. 9 at 12 p.m. before the Tigers open SEC play against Mississippi State on Friday, Sept. 14 at 6:30 p.m. The team then concludes its non-conference schedule with a match vs. two-time defending SWAC champion Alabama State on Sunday, Sept. 16 at 6 p.m.
Conference play gets into full swing as the team's final nine matches come against league foes, beginning with a road matchup at LSU on Thursday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m.
The Tigers return home to host Ole Miss on Sunday, Sept. 23 at 2 p.m. before staring down a two-match road swing at South Carolina and Texas A&M. Kickoff against the two-time defending SEC champion and College Cup semifinalist Gamecocks is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 28 at 6 p.m., while the match against the Aggies is slated for Thursday, Oct. 4 at 6 p.m.
The back half of the SEC schedule begins with a match vs. Georgia at the Auburn Soccer Complex on Sunday, Oct. 7 at 2 p.m., and the Tigers will have a full week before its next road test at Missouri on Sunday, Oct. 14 at 2 p.m.
Auburn will look to make its final push toward the postseason against a trio of teams that made the 2017 NCAA Tournament.
Vanderbilt travels south for a fixture scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 18 at 6:30 p.m., and the team then hits the road for the final time of the regular season to square off with Arkansas on Sunday, Oct. 21 at 1 p.m.
Auburn will then look to retain the Iron Bowl Trophy for the sixth straight season as Alabama comes to The Plains to conclude the regular season on Thursday, Oct. 25 at 6:30 p.m. The Tigers have defeated the Crimson Tide in 14 of the last 17 meetings, including five straight.
Continuing the tradition, the SEC Tournament will once again be held in Orange Beach, Ala., from Oct. 29-Nov. 4.
The NCAA Tournament begins Nov. 9 with the first four rounds set to take place on campus sites until the College is held in Cary, N.C., from Nov. 30-Dec. 2.