SEC-Big XII Showdowns To Play Out On Auburn Soccer Field This Weekend - AuburnTigers.com

SEC-Big XII Showdowns To Play Out On Auburn Soccer Field This Weekend Auburn welcomes Missouri, Texas Tech and Vanderbilt to the Auburn Soccer Classic

Sept. 10, 2009

AUBURN, Ala. - Auburn will team up with Southeastern Conference brethren Vanderbilt this weekend to take on a pair of Big XII teams in Missouri and Texas Tech as Auburn plays host to the annual Auburn Soccer Classic on Friday and Saturday. Auburn will face Missouri at 7pm on Friday and then Texas Tech at 2:30pm on Sunday while Vanderbilt will play Texas Tech at 4:30pm on Friday and Missouri at 9am on Sunday.

"We are really excited about this tournament," Auburn Head Coach Karen Hoppa said. "Missouri won the Big XII last year and beat us at their place early in the season last year, so that is a huge game for us and we'd love to get a big crowd like we have had the past couple of Friday nights."

Auburn, which is ranked No. 21 by TopDrawerSoccer.com, remains undefeated on the season at 2-0-2 but will face a strong test in its opener. Missouri (3-2-0), No. 25 in the TopDrawerSoccer.com poll, is coming off of a 4-1 defeat to Long Beach State but has outscored its opponents, 13-8. Auburn, meanwhile, has managed just seven goals on the season but has only allowed two and has not trailed in a match all season, playing 400 minutes either ahead or tied.

"Missouri is going to be very physical and they are going to play a very different style. They will play a 3-4-3 and they will play super direct; they are going to get it and they are going to launch it up top," Hoppa said. "They are very athletic and their forwards will try and create something out of nothing."

Sophomore Katy Frierson (one goal, three assists) and senior Caitlin King (two goals, one assist) are tied for the team lead in points with five each while eight different players have collected a point through the first four matches.

Friday's match marks the second straight year Auburn will face Missouri as the two teams played in Columbia, Mo., last year, a 1-0 Missouri win. That is the only previous meeting between the two teams.

Sunday's match between Auburn and Texas Tech will be the first between the two programs.

Friday night is Cram the Complex Night and the first 250 fans into the complex will receive a Cram the Complex t-shirt from University Village. It is also All Auburn, All Orange and Student Alumni Association Night and there will be a postgame team autograph session. Sunday is Girl Scout Day. Admission is free to all four matches.

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