The Mississippi State women’s soccer team (4-7-3, 2-3-2 SEC) faced the No. 20 Kentucky Wildcats (9-3-3, 3-2-2 SEC) on Oct. 1, claiming a 3-0 victory. The last time Wildcats came to town, they beat the Bulldogs 3-1 last year. The last time the Bulldogs beat Kentucky was in 2009, and this was their shot to prove the team was better and equipped with greater weapons this season. After the final whistle, the Bulldogs emerged as victor by a score of 3-0.
“Anytime there is an opportunity to get points in this league we have to go get them and that’s what we did tonight,” MSU Head coach Aaron Gordon said.
As the MSU soccer field was filled with pink spirit rooters, pink candy cups with the Bulldogs in pink uniforms, the girls were welcomed by a packed house after a 0-2 loss after facing Georgia in Athens last Friday. The game was an important one to move the Bulldogs to the twelfth spot in SEC conference with 2-3-2 record. During the first half, Ariana Holmes played a great defensive game. Holmes repeatedly trapped the ball under her opponent time and time clearing again the ball during close calls. Each Bulldog cooperated to protect and defend their goal.
Offensively, the team gave a stellar performance with freshman Lauryn Bruffett scoring in the 33rd minute with Mallory Eubanks on the assist. Leading to the second half, the Kentucky Wildcats began picking up a chemistry of their own, leading up to a chance to even the score to 1. In the 66th minute, Kentucky Kaitlin Miller got a shot with a penalty kick. Bulldogs’ goalie Courtney Tompkins did not get a chance to defend her ground as the ball went to a slight right. The Bulldogs kept pushing for a victory when freshman Kiley Martens assisted Bruffet for her second goal up close.
“Tonight we played hard and we connected as a unit,” Bruffett said. “After that first goal it became real to us, because we believed that we were going to win.”
The Bulldogs fed off of their intense and hype home crowd, as Morgan Mills scored the team’s third and final goal. It was a great win to recharge the Bulldogs after numerous ties and losses previously
The victory moves Mississppi State to 10th place in the SEC. If the Bulldogs can remain in the top 10 by the SEC Tournament, they will make their first trip back since 2004.
“We wanted to build together as a team and we we were so positive coming into this game,” Bruffett said. “Our confidence is through the roof and we can’t wait to get back out on the field.”
The freshman’s two-goal performance earned her SEC Offensive Player of the Week. Bruffett is the second Bulldog to win the award this year, after sophomore Mallory Eubanks won the honor earlier in the year after her game-winning goal against Arkansas.
The ladies shot 11 attempts to Kentucky’s six, but Kentucky beat them in corner kicks eight to five. The SEC game play resumes this Friday, with a night game against the Florida Gators who are ranked third in our tough conference.
It will be followed by an on-field movie night to complete Homecoming week at MSU.
