AUBURN, Ala. — Auburn and Kentucky played to a 1-1 draw Thursday night at the Auburn Soccer Complex. Holding a 0.731 win percentage and coming off a ranked win over No. 20 Oklahoma, the No. 21 Auburn Tigers faced Kentucky with confidence. The Tigers have been undefeated with a 5-0-2 record against the Wildcats since 2015.
Determined, Kentucky entered the match with freshman forward Kyla Dawn leading the performance, now ranked 16th in the nation with 10 total goals—the most by any freshman in the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
Auburn’s defense kept the Cats at bay for the majority of the first half, while Kentucky goalkeeper Megan Holland also denied the Tigers on multiple shot attempts.
But in the 20th minute, forward Rayna Powers gave Kentucky the lead with a successful top-center shot, despite Auburn’s defense. The Tigers remained off the board.
The Cats’ stamina maintained their lead, but Auburn’s aggression kicked in when midfielder Kennedy Husband took a clean shot. Her attempt was saved by Holland and reviewed under a cluttered Auburn offense.
With only two minutes left in the first half, the Tigers increased the pressure. Auburn midfielder Gracie Brown’s header in the 43rd minute tied the game at 1-1, serving as the equalizer before halftime. Husbands and Jordyn Crosby were credited with assists.
To start the second half, both teams held each other neck and neck. With the ball moving up and down the field, the Tigers and the Cats kept an aggressive foothold; a yellow card for Auburn’s Brown and Kentucky’s Elise Earnest showed both teams' hunger for goals.
The remaining 20 minutes proved an extremely defensive game—10 total shots by Auburn and 11 by Kentucky still kept the score at 1-1.
Auburn finished with a 13-11 advantage in shots, an 8-4 edge in corner kicks and 61% possession. Goalkeeper Ayana Yapo recorded a career-high five saves as the Tigers finished with a 1-1 draw.
Although Auburn was expected to bring home its ninth win, the result marked the Tigers' first Southeastern Conference tie of the season.
The Tigers will close out their regular-season home schedule against the No. 23 Mississippi State Bulldogs on Sunday, Oct. 18, at 5 p.m. CT at the Auburn Soccer Complex.
