Match #9: Auburn 1, Texas A&M 0
Records: Texas A&M (3-3-3, 0-2-0), Auburn (5-2-2, 1-0-1)
Box Score
Thursday was gloomy, but hope continues on.
Breaking the tempo was in the works from the Aggies’ last few performances, but Texas A&M came up short in their first SEC road game as Auburn defeated the Maroon & White, 1-0.
At the start of the game, both sides employed a 4-3-3. With the same shapes on display, the Maroon & White’s mentality was to play a heavy press, more on the defense rather than the offense, to slow down the tempo of the attempts created by Auburn.
Contrarily, the Tigers played in constant attack throughout the whole field in front of the home crowd.
Fifty-two seconds was all the Tigers needed to start the action as forward Olivia Woodson took a shot at the bottom left of the net, but it was claimed by A&M goalkeeper Maysen Veronda.
Less than seven minutes later, Aggie midfielder Trinity Buchanan tried to even the action intensity, only to have her shot blocked.
In the 20th minute, Auburn forward Erin Flurey attempted to test Veronda again, but only to be stopped...again.
That would be a recurring theme as Veronda stopped 10 shots on the night, but her double-digit saves received no offensive support.
“I was so pleased for her because she was dynamite tonight,” A&M head coach G Guerrieri said of Veronda. “She’s been great all week, and that’s why she was a starter tonight. She was cool under pressure and did a great job in leading the backline.”
At the half, the Aggies had three shots, with one of them being on goal, while the Tigers quadrupled their shots, with seven of them being on goal.
The second half switched up as the Ags tried to issue some attack.
But it was more of the same for the Tigers, as the mentality of constant attack continued and ultimately found the win.
Sixteen minutes into the second half, Auburn defender Taylor Chism was stonewalled by Veronda.
Hoping to score a 78th-minute goal, Asha Mean contributed another save to Veronda’s total.
A minute later, a Gracie Brown shot was saved by Veronda.
Then, in the 84th minute, tragedy struck for the Maroon & White, as Woodson finally claimed the breakthrough the home crowd was waiting for, beating Veronda to the top left corner of the net.
“This is the second time we’ve lost a game in the last five minutes and it’s unacceptable in this league,” Guerrieri lamented.
Down 1-0 with six minutes left, A&M forward Kaylee Noble took a shot, only to be shut down by Tiger goalkeeper Ayana Yapo.
Veronda had a career night with 10 saves as Auburn clearly should’ve won by more than just one goal.
“You’ve got to step up and be able to play,” Guerrieri said. “Our players played hard, but you’ve got to be able to handle not just the effort, but the physicality of this league. You’ve got to be able to keep the ball. The bottom line tonight was that we just gave the ball back too often, and that’s not what you can do if you plan on having any results in this league.”
A&M heads back home to play No. 10 Arkansas on Sept. 27. Kickoff is at 7:00 p.m. CT.
