MATCH #8
WHO: ODU (5-2) at #6 Auburn (7-0)
WHEN: Sept. 13 – 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Auburn, Ala.
SERIES RECORD: Auburn leads 3-0-1
LAST MEETING: Auburn 1, ODU 0 – Aug. 18, 2022 – at Auburn
STREAM: SEC Network+
LIVE STATS: here
NORFOLK, Va. – The Old Dominion women’s soccer team closes out its 2024 non-conference slate in a big way on Friday night as they visit sixth-ranked Auburn for a 7:30 p.m. kick.
The game will have live stats and be streamed on SEC Network+.
ODU heads south following a 2-0 win on Sunday over Longwood. ODU got on the board at 17:24 of the opening half as a foul inside the 18-yard box resulted in a penalty kick chance. Rhea Kijowski wasted no time blasting one into the net for the early 1-0 advantage.
In the second half, each team threw several scoring chances at the net. Erin Jones made three saves for the Monarchs in the second half to preserve the shutout.
Following a throw-in, Brooke Edwards served a pass into the box where Katie Lutz ripped one into the top of the net with just under nine minutes left for the 2-0 margin. Lutz entered this week without a goal in her career and recorded the game-winner on Thursday before the clincher on Sunday.
Auburn comes into the contest following a 1-0 win over 17th-ranked Ohio State on Sunday. Olivia Woodson scored the lone tally four minutes into the second half as Auburn raised its record to 7-0 with its seventh straight shutout.
ABOUT ODU
The matchup with the Tigers will be the second time the Monarchs have faced a ranked Auburn squad. In 2015, the Monarchs dropped a 1-0 decision at then 11th-ranked Auburn.
Ashlynn Kulha has played all 90 minutes in each of the seven games thus far in 2024. Heading back to last season, she has played in 850 straight minutes with the final two games of 2023 going into double overtime.
The state of Alabama has been kind to ODU women’s soccer as the Monarchs have won both Sun Belt Conference Tournament titles 230 miles to the southwest of Auburn at the Foley Sports Tourism Complex.
Through seven matches, Rhea Kijowski leads the Monarchs with three goals and one assist for seven points. Katie Lutz has two goals for four points, while Yuliia Khrystiuk, Riley Mullen, Andrea Balcazar Algarin and Brooke Edwards have one goal and one assist each. Kijowski has taken 19 shots and 10 on goal to lead the team.
In goal, Emily Bredek has recorded 16 saves in five games with a save percentage of .842 and a goals against average of 0.74. Erin Jones has made eight saves in four games with a .800 save percentage and a goals against average of 0.68.
This is the second match against an opponent from the SEC in the last three for ODU as they dropped a 2-1 decision to LSU on September 1.
ODU’s season-opening win over VCU was its first against the Rams in Norfolk since 2008.
Following the win at W&M, Bredek was named Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Week. She had nine saves in the two ODU wins against W&M and UNCW. The nine saves against W&M were a career high for her and the clean sheet was her first of the season and 15th of her career.
Bredek and Kulha were named to the preseason All-Sun Belt Conference team, while the Monarchs were picked to finish first by the league coaches. Click here for that release.
ABOUT AUBURN
The Tigers have outscored their opposition 28-0 through seven matches.
This is the fifth contest against a Sun Belt Conference opponent for Auburn this year having defeated Southern Miss (6-0), Coastal Carolina (3-0), South Alabama (6-0) and App State (3-0).
Woodson leads the team in scoring with six goald and one assist for 13 points, while Anna Haddock has three goals and a team-best six assists for 12 points. All three of Haddock’s goals have been game-winners.
Maddie Prohaska has made nine saves in seven matches in goal.
NEXT UP
The Monarchs will start Sun Belt Conference play on Friday, September 20 hosting Coastal Carolina at 7 p.m.