AUBURN, Ala. - Cal State Fullerton applied pressure late but could not solve No. 24 Auburn's defense as the Titans were shutout, 2-0, Friday night at the Auburn Soccer Complex.
"We played a very good Auburn team here on the road," said Titans Head Coach Demian Brown. "It is these types of challenges that this group needs to experience in order to grow. We are going to clean up a few things and get ready for Georgia on Sunday."
The Titans (1-1-0) were outshot 14-7 by the Tigers (2-1-0) including an 8-2 deficit on shots on goal. The Titans did have a 7-4 edge in corner kicks but could not solve the Auburn defense.
Fullerton fell behind 1-0 in the seventh minute as Courtney Schell sent a cross through the box and onto the feet of Casie Ramsier, who beat Stuart from six yards away to put the Tigers up early.
In the 54th minute, the Titans fell behind 2-0 as Courtney Schell notched her second goal of the season for Auburn. Kristen Dodson got the assist as she dribbled the ball inside the box and laid the ball off to Schell at the top of the box. Schell guided a shot to the left side of the goal past a diving Stuart to put the Titans down by a pair early in the second half.
Trailing by two, the Titans began to up the pressure on the Auburn defense and had a number of scoring chances to try and cut into the deficit. Stuart started the rally on the defensive end, making a spectacular diving stop to her right off a shot from Bri Folds. The Titans keeper got her fingertips on the low shot from Folds to keep the deficit at two.
In the 72nd minute, the Titans had a great chance from in front of the net but a tip shot off a cross was blocked by the Auburn defense. On the ensuing corner, Connie Caliz fired a shot that went high.
The Titans' best chance of the night came just one minute later off another corner kick in the 73rd minute as the ball bounced around inside the box and eventually found its way to Caliz, who rifled a shot to the left side of the goal. Auburn goalkeeper Sarah Le Beau was out of position but her defender was there on the goal line to block the shot and keep the Titans off the scoreboard.
Fullerton would have a couple of more scoring chances in the final moments but could not hit paydirt and were shutout for the first time this season.
The Titans wrap up their SEC road trip Sunday as they face Georgia from the UGA Soccer Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET, 10 a.m. PT.
Notes: The Titans are now 1-2-0 against Auburn all-time and 1-1-0 at Auburn… Savannah Sloniger was shown a yellow card in the 77th minute, the first Titans player to be booked this season… The Titans were last shutout on Oct. 29, 2015 against UC Santa Barbara at Titan Stadium… Stuart's six saves were four shy of her career high. She made 10 saves against Long Beach State on Nov. 9, 2014.