AUBURN, Ala. (EETV) - Auburn soccer took on the Demon Deacons of Wake Forest, a team the Tigers haven’t beaten since 1994 and never on the Plains. Both teams entered the contest with a record of 3-0-1 on the season, each hoping to continue their winning ways. However, Auburn couldn’t break their duck to the Deacs, and fell 2-0 in a loss that was closer than the score indicated.
Wake Forest’s goals were delivered by Anna Swanson and Alex Wood, though the two scores were not created equally.
With just under four minutes left in the first period, Swanson fired a shot toward the left side of the net that Auburn’s Hayden Colson attempted to block. However, the ball ricocheted off of Colson, across the front of the net, and into the open right side, catching out goalkeeper Maddie Prohaska and resulting in a goal allowed that few could argue is the senior keeper’s fault.
Wake’s second goal of the night came on a strong strike by the Deacon’s Alex Wood into the bottom left corner of the net, making it 2-0 in what would end up being the final goal of the night by either side due to a clean sheet by the Demon Deacons’ goaltender tandem of Madison Howard and Valentina Amaral.
Howard played the first period, making one save one one shot against. Amaral took over in the second half, successfully saving both shots that came against her.
As for the Tigers, it was a night of almosts. Despite having 13 shots, four of which came from redshirt senior Marissa Arias, Auburn could only manage three shots on goal.
“Looking at stat sheets, the finishing percentage, right? That’s got to be better in our own frame." Auburn head coach Karen Hoppa said when asked about what the team could improve on. "Shots on goal percentage out of our shots, that’s got to be better.”
Despite this, it wasn’t all doom and gloom for the Tigers. Senior goalkeeper Maddie Prohaska made 3 saves on the night, surpassing the 200 save mark for her Auburn career in the process. An impressive milestone for someone Coach Hoppa referenced as “One of the top goalkeepers in our program history,” following the match.
Though, for Hoppa, the standout Tiger from the game wasn’t the senior, but rather a freshman in midfielder Maquena O’Callaghan.
“I thought Maquena O’Callaghan off the bench was excellent. The freshman played maybe her best game so far." Hoppa said about the midfielder. "Played some really quality minutes so I’m excited to see her grow.”
O’Callaghan finished the match with one shot, which was on net, and no fouls committed.
The Tigers will look to rebound vs American on Sunday, who come into the match with a 0-2-2 record on the year and present a good opportunity to bounce back.
