Mississippi State
5-5-0, 0-1-0SEC
#24 LSU
7-0-0, 1-0-0SEC
| Team | 1 | 2 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSU | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Mississippi State | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Bulldogs Drop 4-1 Decision To No. 9 LSU In Conference Opener
September 26, 2008 | Soccer
? Official Statistics STARKVILLE, Miss. - Senior Mariclaire Fancher scored the first goal of her career to give the Mississippi State soccer team an early1-0 lead Friday night, but the Bulldogs couldn't maintain the advantage as they dropped a hard-fought 4-1 decision to ninth-ranked LSU at the MSU Soccer Field in the conference opener for both squads. Fancher's goal came in the 20^th minute as Bethany Frazier delivered a pass to the right side of the box. The Greenwood, Miss., native moved past her defender and beat LSU goalkeeper Mo Isom for the 1-0 Bulldog lead. The goal was just the third given up by the Tigers this season. State's defense put together a stellar performance for the opening 45 minutes, holding the Tigers off the scoreboard until the final 30 seconds of the opening half. At the 44:21 mark, Malorie Rutledge drew a foul, and on the ensuing free kick, lined the tying goal past Taryn Holland into the top of the net. "I thought we played very well in the first half. We lost our defensive discipline in the second half, and it cost us," MSU head coach Neil Macdonald said. "Give a lot of credit to LSU for the way they fought back when the pressure was on them." The Tigers, who improved to 7-0 and 1-0 in SEC play, out-shot MState (5-5, 0-1 SEC) 29-5 in the contest. Holland, a Franklin, Tenn., native, matched her season high with nine saves on the night. LSU took the lead at the 57:38 mark as Rachel Yepez scored the first of her two goals off a ball that deflected off Holland's hands. Melissa Clarke added the final goal for the Tigers in the 78^th minute. State returns to the pitch Sunday, taking on Arkansas in a match that is set for a 1 p.m. kickoff at the MSU Soccer Field.
? Official Statistics (PDF)
Team Stats
Mariclaire Fancher (1)
Assisted By: Bethany Frazier
1-v-1 off ball over top
19:33
Rutledge, Malorie (2)
off free kick from 30 yards
44:21
Yepez, Rachel (4)
Assisted By: Makasini, Michelle , Rutledge, Malorie
off goalkeeper deflection
57:38
Yepez, Rachel (5)
Assisted By: Rutledge, Malorie , Jones, Roslyn
1-v-1 off entry pass
72:36
Clarke, Melissa (3)
Assisted By: Rutledge, Malorie
off entry pass from right side
77:29
