OREM — Utah Valley University dropped a 2-0 decision to SEC foe Auburn on Monday at UCCU Stadium.

The setback moves the Wolverines to 1-2-1 on the season while Auburn improves to 3-2-1. It also marks UVU's first loss at the new UCCU Stadium.

The Tigers struck first in the ninth minute after Erin Flurey drew a foul in the box and converted the ensuing penalty kick to give Auburn a 1-0 advantage. The match stayed tight until the 80th minute when Gracie Brown added a second goal for the Tigers to secure the win.

Auburn outshot UVU 9-3 in the opening half, but the Wolverines responded with a strong second half, holding a 10-7 edge in shots after the break. Overall, Auburn had a 16-13 advantage, including an 8-1 margin on goal.

Faith Webber led all players with seven shots, including one on frame, while Sadie Beardall added two attempts. Senior goalkeeper Leah Wolf tallied six saves to anchor the Wolverines defensively.

Head coach Chris Lemay said he was pleased with his team's performance despite the result. He noted that UVU created quality chances but needs to be sharper in the final third. "Overall, it was a solid performance, so I'm not disappointed with our effort. I'm very disappointed with the scoreline, but I didn't think it was a poor performance by our group at all. Credit to Auburn, they were a lot to handle, but we created some good chances. We just need to be a little cleaner in finishing those opportunities," Lemay said.

He added that execution around the goal will be a focus in preparation for the next match. "Against really good teams, you're only going to get a few real looks, and when we do, we've got to do better putting balls on frame. We'll spend time this week working in and around the box and making sure we have committed runners to get on the end of those balls."

The Wolverines will look to bounce back at home against another SEC opponent, hosting LSU on Thursday, Sept. 4 at 7:30 p.m. at UCCU Stadium. The game will follow the men's game against Sacramento State, which begins at 5 p.m. The match against LSU will be broadcast live on ESPN+. Tickets are available at GoUVU.com/Tickets.