The Mississippi State soccer team finished an unforgiving four game road trip last weekend with tough losses at South Carolina (9-2-3, 3-1-1 SEC) and Florida (11-2-1, 6-0 SEC).
“We’ve hit a rough spot, we haven’t had wins,” said MSU utility starter Hannah Tyler. “But now we have to come together to fight hard as a team.”
Mississippi State (5-10, 0-6 SEC) conceded two goals in the opening eight minutes Friday to South Carolina before salvaging one goal late in the game, falling 2-1 in Columbia. Carolina improved its home record to 23-1-4 since the start of the 2006 season. South Carolina’s opening goal only three minutes into the first half extended freshman Kayla Grimsley’s consecutive-match scoring streak to five games.
“I was very pleased with the way we came back strong in the second half after not playing as well in the first half,” MSU head coach Neil Macdonald said. “Our defense was strong in the second half, and we played the way we are capable of playing.”
MSU was held to only one shot in the first half and Carolina looked to extend its lead early in the second half. The Gamecocks outshot the Bulldogs 20-4, but another big game from MSU goalkeeper Taryn Holland kept the Bulldogs within striking range. Holland stopped nine shots on the day and now leads the SEC in saves per game with 6.27 each outing. The game marks the fourth time Carolina has held Mississippi State under five shots in a game, the last time occurring when Carolina limited the Bulldogs to just two shots at Stone Stadium in 2006.
The Bulldogs settled into the match after getting down 2-0 and after 79 minutes as Tarah Henderson hit Carolina on the counter. A Carolina corner kick was cleared to the Carolina defense and Henderson created an open breakaway for herself from 50 yards out. The aggressive striker used her free space wisely and knocked in the Bulldogs’ second conference goal at 78:48.
“I think we always take something good from these games,” MSU midfielder Leanna Baldner said. “We have a good mentality. In the 4-5-1 it is all about patience and counterattacking.”
For most of the SEC season State has played in a more defensive formation, starting five midfielders.
Sunday Mississippi State fell at No. 12 Florida in front of 1,121 on senior day at James G. Pressly Stadium. The crowd was the largest State has played in front of all season.
“I thought we battled hard the entire match,” Macdonald said. “Leanna Baldner and Andrea Harrison both played really well for us today. I thought our defense played very well the entire match.”
MSU held off the Gators for 24 minutes before Megan Kerns netted a cross from Ameera Abdullah. Kerns is currently fifth in the conference in goals scored. Florida took a 2-0 lead just eight minutes later as Jazmyne Avant set up sophomore Nicky Kit for a low shot from 10 yards away that was just out of Holland’s reach. Holland finished with five saves.
“I am really proud of the team versus Florida. We played like we had nothing to lose but in the final third we just couldn’t finish,” Tyler said.
MSU did not take a shot on goal until the 89th minute and was outshot on the day 14-2.
The Bulldogs pushed forward late but sophomore Mary Claire Scurria had her effort saved by Florida goalkeeper Katie Perine.
State returns home this weekend with games against Georgia at 7 p.m. Friday and Tennessee at 1 p.m. Sunday.