After an undefeated start, the LSU soccer team cannot seem to shake a losing streak after dropping their fifth straight game since Sept. 23.
On Sunday afternoon, the team fell in overtime, 1-0 during a Tiger showdown in Auburn, Alabama. Both teams stayed scoreless the entire match until the No. 22 jersey-wearer for Auburn found the back of the net just three minutes into overtime.
LSU’s record dropped to 8-5 on the season, with just one SEC win and all five losses credited to opponents from the SEC. Auburn now stands 10-3 on the season, with their three losses coming from No. 1 Florida State, Tennessee and South Carolina. LSU is set to play South Carolina two games from now, on Oct. 21.
LSU goalkeeper Mollee Swift was put to the test against Auburn, having to make three saves in just the first 14 minutes alone. She is usually only challenged three to five times an entire match. The Purple and Gold only managed to strike one shot in the first half, their lowest number of the season, while Auburn shot nine times.
With Swift deflecting shots left and right, it wasn’t looking good for the team when impact-player Wasila Diwura-Soale had a nasty collision with an Auburn player that went without a foul. Once again, LSU was given almost double the fouls that their opposing team was given throughout the match.
Luckily, Swift managed to keep Auburn out of the net, despite their attacking-dominance in the first 45 minutes. The Tigers came back as a new team after halftime and managed to get several more shots off in the second.
Senior defender Shannon Cooke pushed her way past Auburn’s defensive line to send a through ball to Taylor Dobles inside the box. Dobles crossed to Athena Kuehn who sent the ball straight to the goal. However, Auburn’s goalkeeper Maddy Prohoska made her first save of the night.
In the next play, Jordan Johnson scrambled and gained possession of the ball after a corner kick, but her shot veered far left of the net. Chiara Ritchie-Williams, Riley Dixon and Tinaya Alexander created chances of their own, but couldn’t get any on target.
In the 73rd minute, Diwura-Soale made a quick charge to the goal off of Swift’s free kick but sent the ball sailing just above the edge of the right post. Senior Alesia Garcia made her first attempt on goal in the 89th minute of the match, but the ball flew right above the net.
LSU made some more aggressive plays offensively in the second half, but Auburn’s defenders refused to back down and made sliding tackles to shut down any offensive production.
As soon as overtime kicked off, it didn’t take long before Auburn’s sophomore Marissa Arias scored the golden goal, after Swift attempted to tackle the ball from Alyssa Malonson. A loose ball resulted in their collision, and all Arias had to do was send the ball through an unguarded net to secure their victory.
Swift made good work of Auburn’s offensive line before the goal. She made six saves compared to Prohoska’s one. The Purple and Gold took nine shots total compared to Auburn’s 20, and only midfielder Kuehn’s shot in the 58th minute was on target.
LSU will remain on the road for their match against the Kentucky Wildcats on Thursday, Oct. 14, before heading back to Baton Rouge for a matchup against South Carolina at 6 p.m. on Oct 21.
The Tigers only have four more matches to find their groove again before the SEC Tournament gets underway on the last day of October.
