The Mississippi State soccer team wrapped up its nonconference schedule this past weekend in style with two shutout victories against Mississippi Valley State on Friday and Southern Miss on Sunday. With those wins, the Bulldogs improved to 7-0 and finished non-SEC play undefeated. Friday and Sunday’s wins marked the fourth and fifth straight shutouts by the team this year, which tied and set a new school record for consecutive shutouts at five.
            In Friday’s game the team won 2-0, despite not playing a great game. The girls recorded a shutout, but on offense they missed some opportunities to score and looked a little sluggish.
Head coach Neil Macdonald said he credited the performance on Friday night mainly to fatigue.
“We really had a tough week of practice, and we worked them really hard this week,” Macdonald said. “Overall it was an average performance.”
Dana Forbes scored the first goal on Friday in the first period in the 24th minute, and it was also her first goal of the season. It was a kick from about 25 yards on the left side as she took on the Valley defense for the goal.
Forbes said her goal came from her being more aggressive.
“They’ve been telling me to take people on the whole season, so I just did what they told me and got the shot off,” she said.
In the second half, sophomore Amy Hoover scored the second goal of the game in the 67th minute with a spectacular header, which was her fourth goal of the season. Freshmen Honeye Heydari and Gracie Irby assisted on the goal. Hoover said the goal came as a surprise to her.
“I really wasn’t expecting it. I stuck my head in front of it, and it went in the goal,” Hoover said.
MSU had significantly more shot attempts in the game than Valley, with 36 shots to Valley’s seven. This was due in large part to State dominating possession, keeping the ball on its side of the field and keeping Valley on the defensive side most of the game. Valley goal keeper Shelby Willcocks held her own for most of the game, but ultimately it was not quite enough as the number of shots eventually overwhelmed Valley and clinched the victory.
            Sunday’s game against Southern Miss was much more competitive as it went into overtime. Unlike the game Friday, State did not control possession the entire game and was outshot by Southern Miss 6-4 in the first period. However, the girls bounced back nicely to outshoot Southern Miss 18-5 in the second period and 1-0 in overtime. MSU’s one and only shot attempt was the game-winning goal. That goal was scored by senior Jasmine Simmons in the waning moments, as her first of the season. Forbes and junior Morganne Grimes assisted on the goal.
            With nonconference play over, State now turns its focus to conference play, specifically against South Carolina, which MSU will play Friday night in Columbia at 6 p.m. With State being one of only two undefeated teams in the SEC heading into conference play, the team will have a target on its back as teams will be looking to hand MSU that first loss of the season.