PENSACOLA, Fla. — Auburn soccer looks to extend its stay in Pensacola with a victory against top-seeded Arkansas Tuesday, Oct. 31 in the quarterfinal round of the 2023 SEC Tournament at the Ashton Brosnaham Soccer Complex. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. CT on the SEC Network.
"We're really proud of the game we put together against Tennessee, but now it's time to focus on Arkansas," Auburn head coach Karen Hoppa said. "They're an incredibly dangerous, talented team, but we know that we've got what it takes to hang with them and even come out on top."
In the Tigers' opening round match versus the No. 9 seed, Tennessee, redshirt senior Becky Contreras and junior Haley Duca each scored their first career goals in an Auburn uniform to secure Auburn's 2-1 comeback victory.
Contreras scored in the 38th minute on a long ball from goalkeeper Maddie Prohaska. Duca scored less than four minutes later, in minute 41, following a corner kick from junior Sydnie Thibodaux.
It was the third consecutive appearance at the SEC Tournament in which the Tigers won their opening round match.
A trip to the semifinals requires a defeat of this year's league champions, No. 10 Arkansas. The Razorbacks won the SEC on an 8-1-1 record in league play; however, their lone loss came on Oct. 8 at Auburn. The Tigers picked up the 2-1 victory in the match.
The winner of the Auburn-Arkansas quarterfinal matchup will face the winner of the Alabama-Mississippi State match in the semifinals Thursday, Nov. 2 at 5 p.m. CT.
As postseason play begins and tournament rules are in effect, overtime procedures are back. If two teams are square following the conclusion of the 90 minutes of regulation, two 10-minute overtime periods will follow. Teams will play the entirety of the overtime periods regardless of score. If the score is still tied following overtime, a penalty shootout will determine the advancing squad.
