#16 Auburn Soccer Ends Season With Tough 1-0 Loss to #14 Washington in Second Round of NCAA Tournament

Nov. 14, 2004
 
AUBURN -- The No. 16-ranked Auburn soccer team (15-4-2) suffered a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to the No. 14-ranked Washington Huskies (16-4-1) in the second round of the NCAA tournament at the Auburn Soccer Complex on Sunday.

“I offer congratulations to Washington. They’re a great team. To come as far as they did and come out with the Regional is great. I’m really proud of our team. There’s nothing I would change. We had enough good looks to tie it, but we just didn’t get the bounces. This is the best team we’ve ever had here at Auburn, both on and off the field. This is a great group of ladies and I couldn’t be more proud.”

“It’s tough. Our goal was to get beyond this point. This is the second year in a row that it was an even match in the Regional and things didn’t go our way. I think we’re better than a final 32 team. We had a tough draw, that’s the frustrating part. The good thing is we're the only team to go out undefeated in the conference. This is the first season we’ve been ranked every single week, so that shows the quality of our team. It was a great season.”
 
Washington’s 1-0 shutout marked only the fourth time the Tigers have been blanked this season. The Tigers outshot the Huskies 10-9, including six shots on goal in the second half, but they could not get anything past UW goalkeeper Kelsey Rasmussen. Auburn also had three corner kicks to Washington’s one, but could not find a way to cash in on any of those opportunities.
 
Washington forward Kelly Schweighart scored the only goal of the contest in the 7th minute, shooting from five yards out into the top left corner of the goal after taking an assist from Tina Frimpong.

Auburn has plenty of chances in the second half including a Ronda Brooks shot that sailed just over the crossbar with 32:58 left on the clock, and a hard shot from Courtney Crandell off a direct kick with 12:25 remaining.

“It’s extremely frustrating,” Sarah Steinmann said. “Coming into the final 32, we had a lot on the line, especially as seniors knowing this is our last time playing on this field. When you have a lot of good looks and they don’t go in, it’s frustrating.”

Auburn goalkeeper Megan Rivera saved three shots in her final game as a Tiger, including a shot from just one yard out that she blocked, while Rasmussen ended the contest with four saves of her own.

Along with Rivera, Auburn seniors Chrissy Culver, Sarah Steinmann and Jenn Walters wrapped up their Auburn careers with four Southeastern Conference Western Division Championships, one SEC title as well as four consecutive NCAA tournament appearances.

“First off all I want to say that my staff and I really respect Karen Hoppa and the ability of the Auburn team,” Washington head coach Lesle Gallimore said. “They were a great team and a tough opponent to play.  It was a battle between the two teams and that is what I expected coming in.  I thought maybe they would have an advantage because of Auburn’s depth but that did not work out. I think they played well and we were lucky that Kelly was able to put one in the goal early.”

The Tigers ended the season with a school-best record of 15-4-2.