After a slow start to the season, the Mississippi State University women’s soccer team earned the first win of its early season Sunday as senior forward Shannen Jainudeen was able to head the ball into the open net, off of the cross sent in by freshman Mallory Eubanks. The match stretched into two overtimes, as both teams stayed deadlocked for a majority of the match. Adding to the drama of the match, freshman right back Kayleigh Henry was issued a red card in the first overtime for being overly physical on the Southern Mississippi keeper, before the corner was even taken. This left the Bulldogs down a player for the rest of the match, putting them at a disadvantage for roughly 12 minutes of gameplay before Jainudeen’s goal.
Jainudeen was ecstatic about her game-winning goal that sealed the victory for the Bulldogs.
“It’s unbelievable. I’m still shocked that it happened, but it’s great for the team to get the W,” she said. “I saw Mallory go around, and the goal was open. She played the perfect ball.”
The game started off with both teams trying to find their footing. The first shot on goal was not seen until roughly 15 minutes into the game with most of the match being played in the midfield from the beginning.
This first goal was scored in the 29th minute by USM when Beth Coleman was able to find Karen Torres, who took her chance and put the Golden Eagles up 1-0.
Coming out after halftime, the Bulldog looked used energy, as they recorded four shots in the first 12 minutes to start the second half. Two quick shots from Jainudeen and a sequence that saw Mckenzie Adams stopped twice by the Southern Mississippi keeper allowed MSU to fire on all cylinders.
This great stretch of play was taped off in the 15th minute of the second half, as Morgan Ferrara headed home a goal on the corner kick taken by Mckenzie Adams. Ferrara was able to direct the ball over the head of the Southern Mississippi defender standing on the right post to knot the game 1-1.
Coach Aaron Gordon was happy with the goal and particularly happy for Ferrara.
“To get the first goal off the corner was fantastic. We haven’t been that dangerous off corners, and for (Ferrara) to get her first goal off a great finish was awesome.”
From this moment forward the match started to open up for both teams. The last 30 minutes of the second half saw MSU record four shots, while USM also registered three shots.
The spark of shots on goal also opened up a physical game as both teams played physically and did not back down from any fifty-fifty challenges anywhere on the field. The physicality also led to the issuing of the games first yellow card to Mississippi State midfielder Jamila Coner in the 27th minute of the second half.
Neither team could ultimately find the back of the net to end regulation time.
The first 10 minute overtime period saw a lot of action, as well as the biggest talking point of the entire match, the Henry red card for shoving the Golden Eagle goalkeeper.
The short-handed Bulldogs were able to avoid a strong start to the second overtime from Southern Mississippi, who won a corner and had a shot on goal saved in the 5th minute of the period.
The defining moment of the match came just one minute later, as Eubanks latched onto the ball played by Coner. Eubanks was able to draw the USM keeper out of her goal and then play a cross into the box, where Jainudeen converted the header into the empty goal to seal the win for the Bulldogs.
After the game, Gordon said his team displayed a willingness to perserve and noted areas where the team came up short.
“I thought we were really good in a lot of parts of the game. We passed the ball well and created some good chances, but we just couldn’t get the final pass or final touch when we needed it. We also missed some good chances, but I really liked how we battled,” he said. “We battled and played hard the entire game. I felt like we dominated playing with 10 men. We gave up some chances because we were down to 10, but Mallory did a nice job sneaking in behind and found Shannen for a nice goal.”
The Bulldogs will try to propel their season forward off of this win, when they travel to Arkansas State Friday. MSU will return home on Sept. 12 to take on South Alabama at the Mississippi State Soccer Field, as the team prepares itself to begin playing their SEC counterparts beginning Sept. 19.