Ladies Futbol Postseason Action

[chinook]

Tiger ladies have done quiet well on the pitch this year. 

14 - 5 overall; 9 - 2 in conference play.

Ranked 11th in the Coaches Poll.

South Carolina is the top bitch dog in the conference. 

From yesterday's SEC Tournament...

Just days after closing out the regular season against Tennessee at home, the Auburn soccer team opened up the SEC Tournament against the Volunteers in Orange Beach, Alabama, defeating them once again with a 3-1 deficit.

“I thought Tennessee came out really on fire and pressed us hard in the beginning of the game and I thought we grew into the game," Auburn head coach Karen Hoppa said. "We started to solve the pressure and certainly Tennessee was tournament ready and we weren’t quite. I was really happy with the way our team grew into that first half and then second half we just exploded. What a tremendous performance by Casie Ramsier.”

It was Auburn's 21st appearance in the postseason and marks the 16th straight. The Tigers were notched as the No. 2 seed after going 9-2-0 in SEC play during the regular season, matching a program record for conference wins in a single season.

Casie Ramsier, recently named the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year and All-SEC First Team, led the way offensively for the Tigers on Wednesday afternoon. The senior notched three second half goals to give Auburn the advantage over the Vols.

The Tigers held a 15-3 shot advantage over their opponent heading into the half, where both teams were deadlocked at zero. Casie Ramsier found the back of the net in the 48th minute to give Auburn the advantage and added to the margin in the 54th minute with some help from teammate Kristen Dodson.

“Second half we came out with a lot of energy," Casie Ramsier said. "First half, we had some chances but didn’t put them away and the second half we were ready to take control and came out fast and were able to get the goal."

Tennessee responded in the 56th minute to cut the score in half, but that would be the only noise made from the opposing Orange.

Casie Ramsier topped of the day with a hat trick, the first of her career, in the 73rd minute put Auburn up over the Vols. The goal made her the first player to score three goals in one half since Tammy Waine against Alabama A&M in 2000. It wouldn't have been possible without solid passing from her teammates, according to Ramsier, she "was just happy to see them go into the back of the net."

“That’s Casie," Hoppa said. "She turns up in big games and it’s tournament time. She’s our leader on the field and off the field and boy she took care of business today.”

Auburn outshot Tennessee 23-6 with nine shots on target. Kristen Dodson led the Tigers with 7 shots, while Brooke and Casie Ramsier followed with five each.

Auburn will move on to face Arkansas on Friday, Nov. 4 with first kick slated for 6 p.m. CST.

[Snaggletiger]

Nappy headed ho's

[jmar]

Nappy headed ho's

Rutgers women hold that title.

[chinook]

Damn...Hogwally's litter takes care of the Lady Tigers 3-1.  Out are we. 

We'll wait for NCAA seeding.

[chinook]

Karen Hoppa likes her Auburn soccer team just as much in November as she did in August, when the coach said her 18th edition "might be the best squad we've ever had."

Three months later, after a regular season in which Auburn posted a program-record 7-game winning streak, Hoppa has seen nothing to change her mind.

"It's just a great group of student-athletes," Hoppa said. "They give it their all every single day. Doesn't matter what we ask of them. We get a hundred percent from this group. They're really great together. They've got great team chemistry. They work for each other, and we're hoping that continues on Saturday."

Auburn will host South Alabama Saturday at 12 p.m. in the first round of the NCAA Tournament

"Each NCAA Tournament is different," Hoppa said. "I'm really excited. I know how special this team is. For me, it's about trying to get our team to play the best soccer they can because I know how capable we are. We're going to try and prepare them and make sure they're ready for the best game that we possibly can have."

The Tigers and Jaguars met in the second game of the season, with Auburn winning 1-0 in double overtime in Mobile on Courtney Schell's header.

"It's been awhile since we've played South Alabama," Hoppa said. "They're a great team. They won their conference and we know they're really dangerous. But at least we do know them. We have some video on them, and hopefully we'll get some more. We know it's a really tough first-round draw. I think about as tough as you can get in the first round."

Auburn enters the NCAA Tournament with a 14-6 record, including 9-2 in the SEC.

"We are so excited," senior defender Kiana Clarke said. "We have played this team before so we already know what they're like. It was easy to get excited about this game. I think we have a great shot."
 

 
   

Auburn, the No. 4 seed in the Florida regional, earned a national seed in back-to-back seasons for the first time.

Saturday's winner will advance to Gainesville next week. It was there where Auburn shut out Florida 3-0 in September, beginning the longest winning streak in Auburn soccer history. Senior Casie Ramsier urges her younger teammates not to contemplate possibilities beyond the South Alabama showdown.

"There's so much energy going on, but you've just got to focus on the game," Ramsier said. "One game at a time. Just look at the opponent that you have ahead. It's hard to look at the bracket and see who you can play or where you can go. You really just have to focus on one game and just soak it all in."

Hoppa will rely on seniors such as Casie and Brooke Ramsier, along with Clarke, Samantha Solaru and Haley Gerken, to provide leadership. Last season, Auburn won two NCAA Tournament matches, advancing for the first time to the Sweet 16.

"Experience always helps you," Hoppa said. "These guys have been there. They know what it takes. They know the feeling. They know the butterflies. They'll be more prepared for this year's NCAA Tournament than they were last year. We need to draw on that experience for sure."

[wesfau2]

She can record multiple shows at the same time?

[chinook]

The girls nearly scored as many points as the boys today.  Beating South Alabama 4-0. 

[chinook]

Auburn beats UConn.  Advance to the Sweet oh so Sweet 16. They'll play the winner of the Wisconsin/Florida game.

[chinook]

Handled the Lady Jorts 3-1.  Next up is USCw in the elite Ocho.

[Snaggletiger]

Handled the Lady Jorts 3-1.  Next up is USCw in the elite Ocho.

That's some damn fine Sports Anchoring.