As Mississippi State University (3-5-2) soccer settled in Friday night at the field, the intensity rose to beat the Tennessee Volunteers (5-1-4), but it all resulted in a tie. Friday night the Bulldogs didn’t get a chance to score but they did put up an exciting and long fight. Going to two overtimes, the Volunteers and Bulldogs both went at each other’s game play and pace.
The first regulation half was very slow paced, and the Bulldogs were slowly getting themselves to Tanya de Souza’s pace, who saved multiple goals by the midpoint of the first half. State received six corner kicks yet all deemed to be unsuccessful as Tennessee’s goalie Julie Eckel stood her ground and defended her goal. The midfielders tried to get some on field chemistry going, but by the time they had an opportunity to take shots, the Tennessee defense from heated up and waited for the time to play a role.
Throughout the game, the intensity rose to aggressiveness and yellow cards were distributed. At times it felt like the game’s focus was more toward the aggression and not the sport. Six yellow cards were given out to both teams. In the first half, Tennessee’s Ariel Kupritz for received the first yellow card of the game at 29:41. Five seconds later, our Ariana Holmes received hers.
Right after the penalty Kupritz received, Holmes answered back to even the score. Tennessee as a team collected three yellow cards during the second half, giving up easy shots and chances for State to shoot a penalty kick and end it all. The last of the six penalties were given to Courtney Robicheaux in the 105th minute of game time.
“We came out and fought a very tough team,” Head Coach Aaron Gordon said.
“As young as we are, results matter and a tie is like money in the bank.”
That following Sunday, the ladies played Mizzou, which also ended up in a tie. Unlike the Tennessee game, Kennadi Carbin did put a goal in the 38th minute in order to equalize Mizzou’s Savannah Trujillo goal in the 11th. Though we had two draws in two SEC games, this 1-1-2 start is the successful since the MSU Women’s Soccer team in 2001.
Now, after one of the most successful months in program history the Bulldogs will travel to Texas A&M to take on the Aggies tonight at 7p.m..
The Aggies(9-3-0, 2-2-0 SEC) enter the match ranked No. 16 in the nation by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. Gordon said he and he team look forward to the challenge.
“We are going to one of the most hostile environmens in the country on Friday in Texas,” Gordon said. “We are going in there with the mindest of getting a result.”
The Bulldogs will hit he road again on Oct. 9 when they head to Athens to face Georgia.
