Aggies plays Auburn to a scoreless draw in plain match on The Plains
A game filled with missed opportunities led to a split-possession game.
On Friday the 13th, Texas A&M drew 0-0 on the road at Auburn and left with one point to stay at the top of the SEC West standings, but will that be enough to earn them a spot in the postseason?
The answer to that could be scary to the Maroon & White, or perhaps lead to a late October thriller in the chase for the NCAA Tournament.
A scoreless road draw at an Auburn side — one that has half the amount of points as A&M — looks to be concerning for Aggie fans.
Friday’s tie marked the first draw in the series’ history as the Maroon & White had led the series 9-4-0 coming into the evening. In A&M’s last road match at Auburn, the Tigers prevailed, 3-0.
This meeting was much more physical.
With a combined foul count of 21 for both teams, the Aggies and the Tigers truly battled to a stalemate on the plains of Alabama. In the first half alone, A&M had nine fouls, and Auburn totaled six.
Neither side had a corner kick until the 52nd minute when the Maroon & White finally were able to earn up a set piece attempt. Unfortunately, that chance — and the five other total corners — failed to produce a goal.
Auburn goalkeeper Maddie Prohaska ended the match with seven saves off of 13 A&M shots. Conversely, Kenna Caldwell was a stop behind at six with Auburn’s 10 attempts.
A stellar Caldwell save in the 64th minute earned the Aggies a singular point on the road, acrobatically absorbing a Sydney Richards go-for goal.
Offensively, Sam Smith led A&M with five shots, including three on target. Mia Pante trailed closely behind Smith with three attempts of her own. It was Pante who made a last-minute (literally) shot that was ultimately unrewarded.
For Auburn, Richards led the shooting with three and two on goal. Olivia Woodson managed two shots throughout the game.
The dry play on the pitch saw a rotation of players. Fourteen different Aggies saw the field along with 17 Tigers, but none of the different formations could crack the scoreboard.
Now with 10 division points, the Maroon & White sit four clear of the next closest challengers — Arkansas and Mississippi State. With three matches remaining, A&M only has one more opportunity to add to that total, and that won’t come until an Oct. 26 trip to Baton Rouge.
No doubt, the SEC West battle appears to be set for an anxiety-inducing finish perfect for spooky season.
Next up for A&M is Senior Night on Thursday, Oct. 19, as the Aggies host South Carolina at 7 p.m. CT.