BATON ROUGE – Before No. 2-ranked LSU and Auburn step onto the football field for Saturday’s showdown on the Plains, they will renew one of the SEC’s most competitive rivalries on the pitch as they face one another on Friday night in a match that is set to kick off at 7 p.m. CT at the LSU Soccer Stadium.
Both teams are seeking their first Southeastern Conference win of the 2012 season as teams prepare for an exciting second weekend of league play beginning Friday night.
LSU (4-2-3, 0-1-1 SEC) earned its first point in SEC play on Sunday afternoon after battling the Alabama Crimson Tide to a 1-1 draw at the LSU Soccer Stadium. Auburn (4-5, 0-2) suffered a heartbreaking defeat to the 13th-ranked Florida Gators with a 2-1 overtime setback in its last match on Sunday.
Fans have an opportunity to “Geaux Free!” to Friday’s match between the two Tigers as admission is free for each of LSU’s five remaining home fixtures. Gates will open to the public at 6 p.m. CT.
Fans who are unable to attend the match are reminded that live streaming video of the contest is slated for a 6:55 p.m. start for those with a subscription to the Geaux Zone at www.LSUsports.net/live.
Fans can also follow the action through LSU’s social media networks as live updates and coverage for the match is available by liking LSU Soccer on Facebook and following @LSUSoccer on Twitter. In addition to that, fans are welcome to join in the live in-game chat on the team’s official Facebook page.
“We’re looking forward to another exciting Friday night in the SEC,” said LSU head coach Brian Lee. “It is always a battle when LSU and Auburn get together. This has certainly developed into one of the most competitive rivalries in this league. It’s always a great competition on the field. We expect nothing less on Friday night as we welcome our fans to come out and enjoy a great match.”
LSU and Auburn have combined to capture the SEC Western Division title in 10 of the past 11 seasons as Auburn has won six titles in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2010 and LSU has claimed four crowns in the past five seasons in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011 as the defending champion.
LSU is looking to snap a two-game losing skid in the series after Auburn scored a pair of victories in their two meetings in a regular season and first round of the SEC Tournament a year ago.
LSU closed the gap in the series with a five-game unbeaten streak and four-game winning streak from the 2007 season through the 2010 season to cut Auburn’s advantage in the series to 12-8-1. LSU has emerged victorious in each of its last two meetings in Baton Rouge in 2006 and 2008.
After battling the Auburn Tigers on Friday night, LSU will wrap up its 10-game homestand Sunday as the squad plays host to the 18th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats in a match that is set to kick off at 1 p.m. CT at the LSU Soccer Stadium. The Tigers will then go on the road for the first time in SEC play next week as they face Mississippi State in Starkville on Sept. 28 and Georgia in Athens on Sept. 30.