Since coming up empty in its home opener against the UAB Blazers two weeks ago, the Mississippi State soccer team has been on a mission to do to other teams what UAB did to it.
The Bulldogs (5-1) have given up only a single goal over the four game stretch, while netting 13 of their own. Last weekend, the team traveled to Troy, Ala., to compete in the Trojan Classic hosted by Troy.
MSU matched up closely with with the Trojans (1-2), with both teams taking 9 shots during the game.
Sophomore midfielder Jasmine Simmons punched the winning score in for Mississippi State just 8:34 into the match, and junior forward Kim Pettit sealed the win on a penalty kick with 2 seconds left for the 2-0 victory.
Even in success, Bulldog head coach Neil Macdonald said he was unsatisfied with the effort.
“I don’t think we played our best today,” he said. “We struggled over the course of the 90 minutes.”
Mississippi State picked it up for the second match of the tournament Sunday afternoon against South Alabama (1-4), firing a season high 21 shots at the Jaguars keeper.
The Jags tied the match seconds before the break on a goal by forward Brandi Smith. But the second half belonged to Bulldog forward Rachel Wannek, who scored twice in the second half. Twice, the sophomore hit the net on passes from Bulldog defenders Morganne Grimes and Leanna Baldner. The second came only 28 seconds after the first.
With the 3-1 final tally, MSU took the win and the Trojan Classic title, and senior Leanna Baldner was named the SEC Defender of the Week. However, Macdonald was not fully satisfied.
“I thought at times we played quite well,” he said. “But we still haven’t put in a full 90 minutes of work.”
Wannek said tough words from coach now made them more able to compete later, when it matters most.
“We have to prepare ourselves for the SEC,” she said. “To be able to even compete in the SEC, we have to put in a full 90 minutes. That means we have to work our butts off, and get on the ball. What we start in preseason will carry into SEC.”
After a one-day break, State returned to the field to host Mississippi Valley State. The Tuesday match with the Delta Devilettes was the highly anticipated first game on the newly rebuilt field. Even with only a day’s rest, the Bulldogs were raring to go, and it showed.
MSU put on a dominating display of offensive power at the expense of MVSU (0-5), with some familiar names leading the charge.
State doubled their previous high of 21 shots, taking 42 on the game.
Zehra Syed opened up the offense 19 minutes in with her first goal of the season, joined shortly after by McKee for her third. Pettit hammered in the next two goals before the half, and Wannek added one more in the second for the 5-0 win.
Baldner’s back line allowed only two shots the entire game.
Macdonald said he was happy with the progress his squad had made in back-to-back matches.
“We’ve been saying to them: complete a full game,” he said. “Eliminate silly mistakes, problem solve, show leadership on the field. They did that, right from the start. I was very happy with tonight’s performance because it was a full 90 minutes.”
Pettit led the team in scoring, but said they always have room for improvement.
“Every game we have something to prove and it’s another opportunity to get better,” she said. “I still don’t think we’ve put in the full 90 minutes, but we’re closer, and this was a good opportunity to work towards that.”
MSU wraps up the home stand, hosting Jackson State tonight at 7.