The MSU soccer team fell to 1-3 in Southeastern Conference play as they were beaten 4-2 at Arkansas on Friday night and 2-1 at LSU on Sunday afternoon.
Game 1
Less than two minutes into Friday’s game, Arkansas forward Julie Williford scored after an MSU goal kick hit an Arkansas player causing the ball to ricochet back into the box past the Bulldog defense.
State, however, was able to capitalize on an Arkansas miscue just seven minutes later when freshman Heidi Ondra intercepted a Razorback free kick and chipped the ball over the hands of the keeper tying the game at one.
After Ondra’s fifth goal of the season, the game began its slow slipaway from the Bulldogs.
Arkansas scored three unanswered goals capped off by a free kick blast by Arkansas freshman Kristie Holman in the 74th minute.
The Bulldogs added another goal, but the game was already out of reach. Junior Kristin Peterson scored her first goal of the season as she netted a 20-yard looping shot from the left side of the field.
Head coach Neil McGuire said the game was one of the worst performances he had seen from his team all year.
“We didn’t play at all this evening,” said McGuire. “This was arguably the worst game of the season, and possibly the worst since I have been at MSU. Not enough people came to play when the chips were down. We were beaten by a good Arkansas team that took it to us.”
Game 2
Saturday’s game at LSU wouldn’t get any better for the Bulldogs.
LSU opened the scoring with a goal from senior midfielder Stephanie Keating in the 30th minute. Keating knocked the ball into the left corner of the net after it was deflected off MSU freshman keeper Luisa Marzotto.
LSU junior forward Artie Brown scored her 10th goal of the season to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead late in the second half. Brown took a pass from Keating just shy of the goal and kicked it in.
State would get on the board late when Kristin Peterson scored her second goal of the weekend. Peterson snuck the ball past LSU keeper Robyn DesOrmeaux on an assist from senior Elke D’Hollander.
McGuire was just as disgusted with his team’s play on Sunday as he was on Friday.
“I thought Friday’s game was the worst of the season, but I was wrong-today was,” said McGuire.