Henderson Scores As Bulldogs Drop Narrow 2-1 Decision To South Carolina

Friday, October 10

Columbia, S.C.

6:00 p.m.

Mississippi State

5-9-0; 0-5-0

South Carolina

9-2-3; 3-1-1

Team	1	2	Final F
Mississippi State	0	1	1
South Carolina	2	0	2

Henderson Scores As Bulldogs Drop Narrow 2-1 Decision To South Carolina

October 10, 2008 | Soccer

Box Score

By: hailstate.com

? Official Statistics
? Official Statistics (PDF)

COLUMBIA, S.C. ? Freshman Tarah Henderson netted her team-leading fourth goal of the season as State fell 2-1 to South Carolina Friday evening at Stone Stadium in Columbia, S.C.

Trailing 2-0, Henderson's goal came in the 79th minute on a breakaway from midfield. State cleared the ball to midfield, and it deflected off a Carolina player directly to the Martinez, Ga., native who sprinted to the goal and chipped the ball over Gamecock goalkeeper Mollie Patton.

The goal was one of two attempts on net for the Bulldogs, who were out-shot 20-4 in the match. State drops to 5-9 overall and 0-5 in league play, while South Carolina improves to 9-2-3 and 3-1-1 in the SEC.

“I was very pleased with the way we came back strong in the second half after not playing as well in the first half. We worked hard and started winning first and second balls which created some opportunities. Our defense was strong in the second half, and we played the way we are capable of playing,” MState head coach Neil Macdonald said.

With 27 minutes left in the second half, Fancher, who missed high on State's lone first-half attempt, found fellow senior Bethany Frazier on the left sideline. The Madison, Miss., native lined a shot to the near side of the net that Mollie Patton managed to corral.

The Bulldogs just missed out on notching the tying goal in the 89th minute as Frazier's free kick attempt sailed just wide of the top corner of the net.

State found itself in an early deficit as the Gamecocks struck with both goals in the first eight minutes of the match. Kayla Grimsley scored the first as she headed in her eighth goal of the year off a Samantha Diaz-Matosa free kick at the 2:18 mark. USC extended the lead to 2-0 at the 7:57 point as Shannon Bigbie found Brooke Jacobs on the right side of the box for her first goal of the season, a chip shot over a diving Taryn Holland who stopped nine shots on the night.

MSU's next action comes Sunday as the Bulldogs travel to Gainesville, Fla., to challenge the 10th-ranked Florida Gators in a match that kicks off at Noon CST.