The Mississippi State soccer team extended its SEC losing streak to 14 over the weekend with losses to SEC East stragglers Kentucky and Vanderbilt.
Senior midfielder Kevyn Shelledy scored in the first minute of the Kentucky match, but the Wildcats (4-12-2, 2-7-1) were able to pull off a 3-2 overtime win. UK freshman Jenna Goblirsh, the younger sister of MSU senior Anna Goblirsh finished the game with a goal and an assist on the game winner.
“I was very proud of the way we played tonight,” MSU head coach Neil Macdonald said. “Our back line played really well, and [Holland] turned in an excellent performance. [Shelledy] and [Kite] scored very nice goals tonight, but Kentucky was just in the right place at the right time. At this point in the season, I am proud of our team because they continue to come out and battle in every match.”
The Kentucky game marked the first time since last year’s Vanderbilt game that the Bulldogs have scored twice in an SEC game. UK has won the last four in the series.
Sunday, MSU could not convert any of its 11 shots and fell to Vanderbilt (9-7-2, 3-6-1 SEC) 4-0. Vandy sophomore Molly Kinsella fueled the Commodores’ attack with her first hat trick of the season. Kinsella’s twin sister Megan also scored for the visitors. MSU was unlucky to go into halftime down 1-0 following a first half in which it outplayed the opposition.
“I was disappointed with the 90-minute performance. We put in a good half of soccer in the first 45 minutes,” Macdonald said. “The goal that was called off affected us mentally I thought, and we just couldn’t push through.”
Sophomore Danielle Kite was ruled offside following a beautiful volley off of a Bethany Frazier cross. That regated chance completely changed the match in the 55th minute. The Bulldogs could not muster a serious scoring threat following that attempt and Vanderbilt netted three more for the Commodores’ biggest win of the season.
“I think when we got the goal but it was offside. It was a big let down for us and I think had it counted it would have been a whole different game because it would have been tied, but they went and got two goals up,” Frazier said. “We were getting a lot of one-twos and getting a lot of ball movement but in the end we just couldn’t get it in.”
The Bulldogs’ scoring woes have lasted the entire SEC season and the 2008 campaign has seen the fifth least Bulldog goals in program history.
“It’s mental toughness.It’s pushing the ball through when things go against you,” Macdonald said. “I don’t think we can be overcritical of the girls because we are working, things just are not going well for us.”
Thursday marked the ninth game this season that the Bulldogs have lost by one goal, including two overtime losses. “When you are so close but not getting the result, people start to get tired. It’s natural,” Macdonald said.
Junior defender Hannah Tyler said Sunday was a rough day. “But we just have to dig deep,” she said.
Vanderbilt now holds a 10-1 series advantage over MSU.
The Bulldogs close out the 2008 campaign on Friday night against Ole Miss.