After a rain delay lasting nearly an hour and a half, Mississippi State University and Louisiana Tech University took to the soggy field to begin play.
Despite the weather delays, the undefeated Mississippi State Bulldogs soccer team (7-0-0) triumphed over the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (7-1-0) in a 3-0 win.
MSU had nine shots in the first half, but no goals. Several shots were near misses, including one that glanced off the crossbar. However, the defense showed up strong and held LA Tech to one shot and zero goals, resulting in a 0-0 tie at halftime. Head coach Tom Anagnost said the team started flat in the first half.
“It was tough because they let us have the ball and we had to break them down,” Anagnost said. “Every game there’s a new challenge, and that tested us tactically and technically.”
During the second half, the intensity picked up and at the 61-minute mark in the game when Brooke McKee, a senior from Huntsville, Alabama, scored off a corner kick from freshman Miranda Carrasco, from Cypress, Texas. This goal allowed the team to relax and settle into playing.
“Scoring the first goal let us calm down and not be so frantic,” McKee said.
Just five minutes later, Courtney Robicheaux, a senior from Mandeville, Louisiana, scored her first goal of the season. Then, almost exactly a minute later, Niah Johnson, a freshman from Rowlett, Texas, scored, putting MSU up by three at the 67-minute mark in the game. This ended the scoring in the game, with a 3-0 win for the Bulldogs.
Anagnost said the change in the second half was a testament to the team’s winning character.
“We kept at it, we kept at it,” Anagost said. Once we got one, another one came and another came.”
McKee said the improvement in finishing in the second half came from everyone doing their roles more, and she was proud of the team for being disciplined, anticipating balls, and doing what the coach told them to do.
Robicheaux agreed the team was a little off in the first half, but played with heart and character in the second half, which showed in the score.
Although he recognizes the team has a lot upon which to improve, Anagnost said he was happy with his players.
“I’m proud of our kids,” Anagnost said. “It’s always great to shut the opponent out, it’s always great to score more than one goal, so I’m really pleased.”
MSU has its first conference game this Friday in an away game against Auburn. MSU goes into conference play with a 7-0 record—the best start for their program since 2012.
“It’s going to be extraordinarily challenging, and we’re just going to have to take it one practice at a time, one day at a time to prepare for each opponent,” Anagnost said.
Robicheaux said she is excited for conference play to begin and cannot wait to see how the team will do.
“I’m just excited,” Robicheaux said. ”I’m ready to get going. I’m confident in my team.”
