AUBURN, Ala – Powered by an offensive onslaught, No. 14 Auburn soccer (4-0-3) cruised past UMass Lowell (2-4-1) by a score of 4-1 Thursday at the Auburn Soccer Complex.
"Wrapped up our home non-conference season with a much-needed win against a really good team," Tigers head coach Karen Hoppa said. "It's also great to see us get multiple goals from multiple goal-scorers. That's something we've been wanting to do, and we got it today. Really happy with our overall performance."
The Orange & Blue offense showed no signs of fatigue after the match was originally halted by a near two-hour weather delay, ripping of 25 shots at the River Hawks' net. Juniors Anna Haddock and Maddie Simpson led the squad with five shots apiece.
Senior Sydney Richards showed no haste in opening the scoring, firing a right-footed rocket from distance in the 8th minute to tuck a strike past the right post for the 1-0 Tiger lead. The goal was the first of the year from Richards and the 17th of her career. Credited for created the scoring opportunity, defenders Madeline Moore and Hailey Whitaker also picked up their first assists of the season on the play.
"Tonight was very important for us to make a good showing and gain some confidence on offense at home before we come back with conference play," Richards said. "I've had some assists to start the year, but it felt great to finally be able to score myself."
Auburn's ultimate game-winner came in the 11th minute from graduate student Grace Sklopan. Sklopan caught a deflection off a blocked shot from Haddock following a Tiger corner kick near the left post for an easy tap-in to double the Auburn lead. On the play, Haddock grabbed the team lead with her fourth assist of the year while Sklopan's difference-maker marked her first goal in an Auburn uniform.
The Tigers' penultimate goal came just before the half, following another corner kick taken by sophomore Sydnie Thibodaux, who found Simpson charging into the six-yard box for a header off the River Hawk keeper into the low right corner of the net.
Picking up number four in the 48th minute, Auburn scored once more after Simpson found her self one-on-one with the UMass Lowell goalkeeper, taking a shot that was blocked and deflected to junior Olivia Candelino for rebound right into the net. The goal by Candelino and the assist from Simpson were each player's first of the year.
Just 43 seconds following the laser from Candelino, UMass Lowell broke the Auburn streak of not allowing a goal in the run of play this season. River Hawks forward Ioanna Papatheodorou netted the goal on an assist from Anna Edson.
Defensively, the Orange & Blue back line held the River Hawks to the lone goal on just five total shots, marking the fourth time this season that the defense has allowed five or fewer chances from an opposing squad. Redshirt sophomore keeper Makenna Garcia also made her collegiate debut in the net, subbing in for Maddie Prohaska in the 55th minute. Garcia picked up a save in her 35 minutes of work.
Up next, Auburn heads to Birmingham for its non-conference finale at Samford Sunday, Sept. 11 at 5 p.m. CT.
