24 minutes ago
Gabby Davis | SEC Network Staff
Photo: SEC
PENSACOLA, Fla.– SEC regular-season champs No. 1 Arkansas continued to roll and advanced to the semifinals of the 2023 SEC Soccer Tournament with a 4-0 win over No. 8 Auburn at the Ashton Brosnaham Soccer Complex.
These teams clashed at the beginning of October, which ended with a 2-1 Auburn victory, but tonight the Razorbacks offense proved to be too much for the Tigers.
Arkansas put the heat on early, breaking out four shots in less than 10 minutes to start the game.
Auburn almost got on the board in the 13th minute when Anna Haddock played a driven ball in off of a free kick and Maddie Simpson’s diving header made solid contact but whisked past the post leaving the game scoreless.
The Hogs kept knocking on the door as Ellie Podojil, Avery Wren and White had open looks but sent them wide left.
The Razorbacks finally cashed in on their chances with White’s goal off of a point-blank range header from Kennedy Ball’s lofted cross in the 28th minute.
Before the end of the first, Arkansas tacked on another goal as Emilee Hauser found Bea Franklin on the back post of a corner. Franklin’s header was attempted to be headed out by an Auburn defender but ended up in the back of the net.
The Hogs went into the break with a 2-0 advantage.
First Half Quick Facts:
- 17 total shots recorded (14 Arkansas, 3 Auburn)
- Bea Franklin scored her eighth goal of the season
- Morgan White scored her seventh goal of the season
- Arkansas had four corners to Auburn’s zero
Franklin almost converted her second of the night to begin the second half, but goalie Maddie Prohaska pounced on it for her fourth save.
Prohaska was able to keep the score 2-0 when she made a phenomenal kick save to stop Ball from gettin on the scoresheet.
However, the Arkansas attack became too much and Podojil slipped behind the Auburn defense and sliced her shot to the back post, increasing the Hogs’ lead in the 63rd.
To tip off the great performance, defender Kate Carter got on the board with her first goal of the season off of a defensive miscue by the Tigers, 4-0.
Second Half Quick Facts:
- Anna Podojil scored her 50th career goal
- Kate Carter netted her first goal of her career
Scoring Summary:
28′ | ARK – Morgan White, 1-0
34′ | ARK- Bea Franklin, 2-0
63′ | ARK – Anna Podojil, 3-0
84′ | ARK – Kate Carter, 4-0
Up Next:
No. 1 Arkansas will take on the winner of No. 4 Mississippi State vs. No. 5 Alabama on Thursday (11/2) at 6 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
The Tigers will return to Auburn and await the results of the NCAA Tournament Selection show on Monday, Nov. 6.
