AUBURN, Ala. — Even with 27 total combined shots, the full 90 minutes was not enough for either Tiger team to find the back of the net as Auburn and LSU battled to a 0-0 tie Sunday at the LSU Soccer Stadium.
With the draw, Auburn (6-5-6, 2-5-2) upholds its streak of not falling to the Bayou Bengals (8-3-6, 3-2-4) since the 2010 season.
"We played a great game," Auburn head coach Karen Hoppa said. "Our defense was outstanding to earn a shutout on the road against a really good LSU team, and our offense was really dangerous. Now, it all comes down to the biggest rivalry in sports on Thursday for the Iron Bowl of soccer."
Credit to the Orange & Blue backline once more as the fivesome of Maddie Prohaska, M.E. Craven, Hailey Whitaker, Madeline Moore and Hayden Colson allowed just a pair of on-goal shots from the other Tigers on the afternoon to extend the team's shutout streak of LSU to seven consecutive matches.
On the offensive end of the ball, it was Anna Haddock, Sydney Richards and Maddie Simpson getting off multiple shots for the Tigers. Haddock and Richards were the lone Auburn attackers to place multiple on goal, collecting a pair apiece.
Hounding the net early with a trio of opportunities in the first 15, Auburn created one of its most dangerous chances on a cross from Haddock to Carly Thatcher for a right-footed bullet aimed for the left post, however LSU's Mollee Swift made the diving stop to deny the goal and keep the shutout intact.
After outmatching LSU 6-0 in corner kicks through the first half, the Bayou Bengals turned the tables to create six of their own in the final 45, however, despite the defensive pressure, the Orange & Blue backline held steady to push 11 shots astray and lock down the team's seventh shutout of the year, tying the seventh-best total in single-season program history.
With the clean sheet, Prohaska also moves up to 21 for her career, just one shy of tying Amy Howard and Allison Whitworth for the third-best mark in school history.
Up next, Auburn returns home for its final regular season match of the year, hosting No. 1 Alabama for Senior Night Thursday, Oct. 27. First kick at the Auburn Soccer Complex is set for 7:30 p.m. CT on the SEC Network.
