The Mississippi State University soccer team dropped two more conference games this past weekend, despite giving a valiant effort in both games, especially against Arkansas on Sunday.
The two losses over the weekend drop the team’s record to 8-10-1 and 1-10-1 in SEC play.
After starting the season 7-0 and going into conference play with high hopes, the Bulldogs’ season will end  Thursday with their final game against rival Ole Miss.
This past Friday, MSU played Georgia and lost 0-3. State was outshot by a wide margin of 22-5, which points to a huge discrepancy in possession of the ball throughout the game.
Head coach Neil MacDonald said he was not pleased with the team’s performance on Friday.
“I thought we were very lackluster and didn’t play at a high enough tempo throughout the 90 minutes,” MacDonald said. “It was just a poor team performance.”
Sophomore C.J. Winship filled in for Skylar Rosson as the goal keeper in both games this past weekend as Rosson was out because she received her second red card in the previous game. However, despite allowing three goals Friday, Winship played well and she made quite a few incredible saves.
Junior captain Morganne Grimes said the loss was not on Winship but the team as a whole.
“I think C.J. was outstanding tonight, and I trust her behind me 100 percent,” Grimes said. “None of the goals can be put on her. The ball has to go through 10 people before it gets to the keeper.”
The Bulldogs fared much better in Sunday’s contest against the Razorbacks, despite failing to come away with the victory.
State jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first half and maintained the lead until the 62nd minute when Arkansas tied the game. The Razorbacks then scored the game-winning goal in the final two minutes on a shot off deflection.
Junior Elisabeth Sullivan scored MSU’s lone goal in that game. She leads the team with 10 goals on the season, leaving her one goal shy of tying the school record.
Sullivan downplayed the significance of the goal and said she has just been focusing on playing the game to the best of her ability.
“I haven’t really been keeping up with all the records,” she said. “I’ve just been trying to help my team the best I can.”
Thursday, the Bulldogs hope to put this weekend’s games behind them and end the season on a positive note by beating Ole Miss at home for the Magnolia Cup.
Sullivan said she wants to send the seniors out on top since Thursday will be senior night.
“I’m really looking forward to the game on Thursday because obviously it’s Ole Miss, and that’s our biggest rival,” she said. “We know we can win.”
Regardless of the sport or how well either team is doing, when MSU battles Ole Miss, bragging rights will be on the line, and the soccer team hopes to keep the Magnolia Cup in Starkville this year.