The Mississippi State women’s soccer team extended its unbeaten steak to a school-record six games and increased its 2003 record to 4-0-1 by beating the 25th-ranked Missouri Tigers 1-0 Friday night.
The win marked the first time that the Bulldogs have recorded a victory against a ranked opponent and against a team from the Big 12.
“To beat a team in the Top 25 shows what all the girls’ work and dedication is for,” said head coach Neil McGuire. “It shows us where we stand and where we can go with this.”
MSU once again dominated the defensive end of the field. Led by freshman keeper Luisa Marzotto, the Bulldog defense went another 90 minutes without surrendering a goal.
“I’m speechless about the way the defense played tonight,” said Marzotto. “We beat a team that we lost to last year and we proved that we’re here and that we are the best team in the SEC.”
Marzotto’s performance in goal earned her SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors. She posted 13 saves against the Tigers and has now gone a school-record 369 minutes without allowing a goal.
As well as the Bulldog defense played, Missouri was able to match that by causing the MSU offense to be a non-factor for most of the game.
The Bulldogs were unable to get anything going on the offensive end of the field. They managed only four shots on goal the entire night.
Midway through the second half, sophomore Shola Gaji was forced to the ground by a Tiger in the penalty box.
The referee’s controversial non-call denied MSU what normally would have been a penalty kick.
With just over five minutes remaining, sophomore Betty Ann Casey received a touch pass from Sara Moore just outside the Missouri 18. Casey fired a shot just over the hands of the outstretched Missouri keeper.
“It was just time to score,” said Casey. “We had so many spirts of adrenaline … I just turned and shot the ball.”
After the late goal by Casey, the Bulldogs kept the Tiger offense caged for the remainder of the game. Mizzou would get one last chance as they were awarded a corner kick with less than a minute to play.
The kick sailed into the middle of the box and a Missouri player was able to head the ball on goal. Marzotto made a diving save on the ball to seal the win for the Bulldogs.
“I feel incredible,” said Marzotto. “We played how we expected we would in our heads. We proved that we are a better team and that we belong in the Top 25.”
MSU is now No. 9 in the NCSSA Central Region and Soccer Buzz Rankings.