Despite out-shooting Arkansas 8-2 on Sunday, the Mississippi State soccer team was still left searching for its first SEC win of the season after the opening weekend of conference play.
A goal from the Razorbacks’ Allie Chandler in the 66th minute of play was all Arkansas (4-5, 2-0 SEC) needed to hold off the Lady Bulldogs (3-5-2, 0-2).
MSU also lost to LSU Friday night by a final score of 5-1, with four of the Tigers’ goals coming in the first half. Head coach Neil Macdonald said despite the losses, he was pleased with his team’s performance in at least three of the four halves they played.
“We lost to a very good LSU team last Friday night,” Macdonald said. “Our first half performance was poor, our second half performance was great. We had some good opportunities (Sunday), but it was a really tough result.”
Junior midfielder Madison McKee said part of the reason for the team’s struggles against LSU was a change in formation, but the Bulldogs went back to their normal 4-3-3 lineup against Arkansas.
The move back to the 4-3-3 worked well for MSU, but the Bulldogs still came up short, getting beat on a 35-yard strike that Macdonald called “one in a hundred.”
“We honestly dominated more of this game, we just didn’t finish our chances,” McKee said. “I think the goal to shot ratio was 8-3 us. We just have to finish our opportunities.”
The Lady Bulldogs will look to rebound next weekend when they host Alabama and Auburn in their first home conference action of the season. Game time is set for 7 p.m. on Friday  and 1 p.m. on Sunday.