[ad_1]
The fall semester is right around the corner, and with it comes the opening of Auburn’s athletic program. The football team kicks off the upcoming fall semester with an exhibition game against Georgia Southern on August 8th.
The team comes into this season with a chip on their shoulder after an early elimination at the hands of in-state neighbor Samford in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. With that game in mind, this fall will be an effort to overcome that conclusion.
“We were all disappointed with the way last season ended,” said head coach Karen Hoppa. “We had a really good regular season. We took a big step from the year before and then got upset in the NCAA Tournament. We feel there is unfinished business.
Auburn beat the Bulldogs 2-1 last season to end last season before falling 2-0 at Samford on Nov. 12, which only proved a game that was winnable by the Tigers. The wait between that race and the season itself was unusual, which puts the loss on the mind.
“It’s the first time that our juniors have had to wait until the spring before they have another season,” Hoppa said. “It’s been a long time coming with that result in the back of our minds … I see it as a sense of unfinished business.”
The Hoppa team brought in a large junior class that played a major role in the club, but the juniors played through the Covid-19 and unusual seasons. So, this guard is the longest he’s ever waited to play in his college career. The speculation is building.
Six of those juniors hold starting roles and Hoppa and staff are laying the groundwork for what will ultimately be an older roster after working with underclassmen-laden teams in recent years. They will be key in providing leadership to the incoming class of six freshmen.
Anna Haddock, a big name on Auburn’s offense, is a junior midfielder who scored a team-best nine goals in the 2021 season. Number four brings great talent which translates into some beautiful goals.
Joining Haddock on the back line is another junior, midfielder/forward Mallory Mooney, who is a veteran presence alongside youngsters like LJ Knox and Carly Thatcher who have worked their way into first-year assets to be assets in the rotation.
In addition to the team’s enthusiasm for the program, their opening game could be a big factor in getting the fall athletics off to a strong start. As the games begin, students begin to return to town, so both fans and players should be interested in how these early games shake out.
“Being under the lights on a Thursday or Friday night feels like nothing else. Going to a soccer game is one thing,” junior goalie Maddie Prohaska said. “You can’t put yourself into what the game is like, but when you go to a football game, you’re there and your voice is heard by everyone in the stadium.”
Prohaska is playing in goal for the third year in a row and will serve as the home coach in practice. She struck out 56 last year while starting all 20 games, a save percentage good for .700.
The intimate setting she discussed is what makes the Auburn Football Complex a platform on campus where every fan can make a difference. Football is a sport where individual goals often decide the outcome and the presence of active spectators often swings games in Auburn’s favor.
“I hope the Auburn community and Auburn students can pick up where we left off last athletic year, and see what the community has done for men’s basketball, gymnastics and baseball, especially in the postseason,” Hoppa said. . “These are the people we want to see coming into football because the potential of this team is unlimited and the benefits on the field are huge and huge.”
Auburn football opens its home schedule on August 8 against Georgia Southern at 6:30 pm CST. Another showdown at Memphis follows five days before the season opener on Aug. 18 against Old Dominion.
“I think a great foundation has been laid over the last few years, and I think the potential of this team is truly unlimited,” Hoppa said. We can’t wait to see the Auburn family in the stadium on August 18th.
[ad_2]
Source link
