AUBURN, Ala. — The No. 21 Tigers hosted the No. 23 Mississippi State Bulldogs on Sunday at the Auburn Soccer Complex. The Tigers tied the Bulldogs 0-0, with a late goal called back after an Auburn foul.
The Tigers had two wins and a tie going into their matchup with Mississippi State. Auburn's defense held up, with goalkeeper Ayana Yapo showing what makes positioning and pressure so effective.
The Tigers and Bulldogs traded a few shots in the series, and much of the open positioning each side gained was met with a takeaway or an out-of-bounds call. The Tigers only had six shots on goal during the match.
While it may seem a far cry from the offense that has dominated SEC play for the last three weeks, Mississippi State couldn’t match it, finishing with five shots on goal. The defensive front for the Tigers was a weapon in the first half, as the Bulldogs only managed one shot on goal through the first 45 minutes.
Things began to heat up as the whistle blew in the second half, with four shots on goal from both sides.
In the 63rd minute, a corner kick from Kennedy Husbands was helped in by Gracie Brown for what could have been the first goal of the match. A long video review overturned the goal, as Dylan Driver committed a foul during the service.
The rest of the match featured close shots by both teams but ended in a tie.
Auburn remains on pace to break a team record, with only four goals allowed in 15 matches this season. The Tigers are set to take on the Florida Gators at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22.
