STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State scored early in the second half and held on despite being a player down for a majority of the contest, held on for a 1-0 victory over the University of South Alabama soccer team Thursday night at the MSU Soccer Complex.
The Bulldogs improve to 5-2 and the Jaguars drop to 4-2-1.
GAME FACTS
- Mississippi State was forced to go with 10 players for the final 70 minutes after its goalkeeper was sent off for taking down senior Brianna Morris
- Both Morris and graduate Athanasia Moraitou went just wide of the post in the first half
- The Jaguars held a 5-3 advantage in shots at halftime, including the only one on goal
- MSU wasted little time in scoring after halftime as the Bulldogs hit the back of the net just 37 seconds in; Niejia Watkins chipped a ball in to Monigo Karnley, who headed it over USA goalkeeper Justice Stanford
- Morris, who led the Jags with three shots, sent a header wide right at 58:32, just seconds after Moraitou missed just left
- An attempt from MSU's Zakirah McGillivary forced a diving stop by Stanford from 20 yards out in the 69th minute
- Graduate Chloe McGlade was left alone at the top left corner of the 18-yard box at 77:54, but sent her bouncing shot straight to the MSU goalkeeper
- Stanford made two saves and allowed the one goal
NOTES
- Mississippi State is 3-0-1 in the last four games in the series since dropping three straight to South Alabama from 2013-15
- The Bulldogs outshot the Jaguars 8-3 in the second half, putting three of those attempts on goal
- USA has allowed three shots on goal in each of its last three outings, and no more than seven in any game this season
THEY SAID IT
Head Coach Richard Moodie
Overall thoughts: "I thought it was a brave performance from us.