AU ROUNDUP: Clanton honored by SEC

Auburn junior Cydney Clanton has been named the Southeastern Conference Women’s Golfer of the Week, league officials announced on Wednesday.

Clanton is the first women’s golfer in the conference to earn the weekly honor.

Clanton, a native of Concord, N.C., is currently ranked fourth in the nation by Golfweek and has led Auburn in all three of its tournaments this season, compiling a 70.14 stroke average. The Tigers are ranked No. 4 in the latest Golfweek standings and No. 3 in the Oct. 5 Golf World/NGCA Women’s Coaches’ poll.

Playing at the season-opening Hooters Collegiate Match Play Tournament from Sept. 5-6, Clanton won medalist honors with rounds of 73-69—142 (-2). The win was the first since she tied for medalist honors at the 2008 Tennessee-Mercedes Benz Collegiate Championship as a freshman. Clanton followed up her victory by finishing in a tie for second at the Mason Rudolph Championship on Sept. 25-27. She put together back-to-back rounds in the 60s to finish the 36-hole event at 9-under-par 135.

Most recently, Clanton finished fifth at the Tar Heel Invitational on Oct. 9-11. She finished under par in two of the three rounds, carding a 73-70-71—214 (-2).

The Tigers wrap up their Fall schedule this weekend, traveling to Wilmington, N.C. for the 2009 NCAA Fall Preview at the Country Club of Landfall, the site of the 2009 NCAA Championship. Play is set to begin at 7:30 a.m. Friday with Auburn teeing off at 9:08 a.m.

Soccer travels to face Tennessee tonight
The Auburn soccer team will play the first of its final three regular season matches tonight when it travels to Knoxville, Tenn., for a 6 p.m. matchup with host Tennessee.

Auburn enters the match 6-7-3 overall and 3-5-0 in the SEC, which places it third in the SEC West and seventh overall. Tennessee is 7-6-3, 3-3-2 SEC which puts it fourth in the SEC East and sixth overall.

“Tennessee is going to be tough. They have a great stadium, one of the best stadiums and a great environment,” Auburn head coach Karen Hoppa said. “We are taking this week like it’s already the playoffs for us. We have to have the mentality that it’s a one-game season.”

Auburn is just one point ahead of Arkansas and two in front of Kentucky and Alabama in the Road to Orange Beach heading into the stretch run, with Alabama needing to play four matches due to a postponement with Mississippi State while they rest of the conference will play just three.

“We control our own destiny but we have to get the job done in these next three games,” Hoppa said. “If we win two of the three we are in for sure; we maybe get in with one win, but we really need to try and get two.”

Auburn’s offense broke out for four goals last weekend, three off the foot of senior Caitlin King, after enduring three straight shutouts.

King now leads the team in goals (five) and is tied with sophomore Katy Frierson, who had three assists last weekend, for the team lead with 15 points.

“(During practice) we emphasized getting our numbers into the attack and we carried that over into the games,” Hoppa said. “We had a very attacking mentality, starting with Friday night, getting our numbers forward and getting the ball forward quicker.”

Auburn trails in the series with Tennessee, 4-8-0, and is searching for its first win in Knoxville in four tries.

Auburn returns home following the Tennessee match for its final home game. Auburn will play host to Georgia at 1 p.m. on Sunday in a match televised live on Fox Sports South (Channel 33 in Lee County).

Sunday is senior day and the senior class of Stephanie Fransoso, Lizzie Hamersly, Rebecca Howell, Caitlin King, Jenni Prescott and Chelsea Yauch will be recognized on the field prior to the match.

Volleyball hosts Bama
The Auburn volleyball team hosts in-state rival Alabama on Friday and looks to set another attendance record this season at the Student Activities Center.

The match is set for 6 p.m. and admission is free.

Free “Beat Bama” t-shirts will be handed out to the first 250 fans on Friday courtesy of University Village. There will be a performance at intermission by the Auburn University Tiger Paws and a post-match autograph session with members of the Auburn volleyball squad.

The Tigers are off to one of their best starts this decade, sitting at 12-8 overall and 4-5 in the SEC. The 12 wins are the most Auburn has had since the 2006 season when the team finished the year with 13 total victories.

In addition to Friday’s match, Auburn will host Mississippi State on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. It is Girl Scout Day and all girl scouts in attendance will receive a commemorative patch.