Mississippi State’s soccer team went 1-1 through its weekend stand of home games, falling victim to a late goal in Friday’s 3-2 loss to Central Florida before a late comeback against Rice ensured a 2-1 win on Sunday.After tying the game at 2-2 with just six minutes left, the Bulldogs suffered their third straight loss by one goal when Courtney Whidden’s second goal of the game handed Central Florida a late 3-2 win.
MSU had tied the game twice in the last 15 minutes through goals by Heather Buttrey and Treena Ferguson but UCF struck back almost immediately each time to stay ahead.
The game started brightly for State with Jessica Davis playing from an advanced midfield position to link up with forwards Treena Ferguson and Katelyn Graben.
A scramble in the box after a UCF corner led to a counter attack for the Lady Bulldogs, with freshman Danielle Kite’s pass finding Graben on the right whose lay off allowed Ferguson to shoot high from 30 yards.
With seconds left in the half, the breakthrough finally came. Another UCF corner saw Whidden’s volleyed effort find the top corner from five yards giving the Knights their first lead of the night.
At the 75-minute mark, MSU found their equalizer. Heather Buttrey picked up the ball from Ashley Hood’s pass, and her shot from just inside the box found the bottom right corner for State’s first score.
Less than a minute later, the Knights took the lead again, this time from Nicki Moore’s 40 yard shot that found its way over Taryn Holland’s outstretched hands for a 2-1 lead.
Eighty two minutes in, State was handed an advantaged as Yvonne George was sent off for a bad foul. The Lady Bulldogs capitalized minutes later, with Ferguson’s fifth goal of the season going in off the bar to tie the game at 2-2.
As before, MSU was subject to a quick response from the Knights with Courtney Whidden’s second goal of the game coming with just four minutes left in the game, finishing the match off at 3-2.
Head coach Neil MacDonald said he was pleased with the effort but noted a few areas for improvement.
“Communication between the back four is still an issue for us,” MacDonald said. “We have to be physically tougher inside the 18-yard box. Two of the goals tonight were balls that were knocked down, and we were second to them.”
By Sunday, the advice seemed heeded as State went on to record a 2-1 overtime win against Rice.
After suffering so many late goals in recent games, State flipped the trend Sunday after Jessica Davis’ header with six minutes remaining sent the match into overtime.
Graben’s goal after 103 minutes proved to be the game winner as the Bulldogs earned their first home win of the season.
MacDonald chose to employ Graben and Ferguson up top again to form an attacking three with Davis in the hole behind them and the combination has started to pay dividends.
“Davis is very effective in there; she’s strong and powerful and wins a lot of balls,” MacDonald said. “The other side of it is Katelyn Graben, who’s very fast and can pin back their back line.”
The goal scorers took some of the burden off Ferguson, whose five goals in five games set a record for points earned in consecutive games.
Kate Edwards had given Rice the lead just two minutes into the match off Erin Scott’s pass, leaving MSU with the all too familiar task of chasing an equalizer.
It was no easy task, as the Owls were not content to sit back and defend their lead.
Holland kept-faced nine shots as State’s offensive pressure left gaps for Rice’s forwards to exploit.
Edwards hit the crossbar and Ferguson went close a few times but neither team could find a goal as both keepers were on top form.
The equalizer finally came on the 84th minute courtesy of Davis’ header from Frazier’s free kick.
By this time, MSU was clearly in the ascendancy, and a deserved lead was taken 13 minutes into the ensuing overtime.
Again it was Frazier providing the final pass, this time a lob-up the middle for Graben to race on to, beating goalkeeper Meghan Erkel for her second game winner of the season.