Mississippi State
4-8-3 (1-5-1SEC)
South Carolina
11-5-0 (5-2-0SEC)
Bulldogs Drop Tough 1-0 Decision To South Carolina
October 14, 2011 | Soccer
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State's valiant effort on Maroon Madness Friday came up short as South Carolina escaped the MSU Soccer Field with a 1-0 victory.
The loss snapped a six-game home unbeaten streak for the Dawgs. MSU fell to 4-8-3 overall and 1-5-1 in SEC play, while the Gamecocks improved to 11-5-0, 5-2-0 in league play.
Both teams played to a scoreless tie in the opening half, but Grimsley put in the winner in the 58th minute when she dribbled to the edge of the 18-yard box and beat Bulldog junior goalkeeper Skylar Rosson with a shot to the left side.
A week removed from setting a single-game school record with 19 saves against Georgia, Rosson stopped four of USC's six on-goal chances.
The Gamecocks claimed a 15-4 shots advantage. Mississippi State put two of its chances on target in the match, but both chances were snagged by Sabrina D'Angelo.
"We struggled to keep the ball tonight and turned the ball over too easily," MSU head coach Neil Macdonald said. "South Carolina is a very good team, but we have to do a better job holding on to the ball and being more creative. Our back line did a fantastic job tonight, but we just have to get better movement to create more scoring chances."
Bulldog sophomore Elisabeth Sullivan had a look on target in the 17th minute, but her attempt was blocked by a USC defender.
South Carolina's best look on target in the first half came in the ninth minute. Danielle Au fired a shot from the left side that Rosson deflected wide of the net.
Mississippi State almost connected with 31 minutes left in the opening half. State sent a long service over the USC defense, but the ball carried just out of the reach of Jasmine Simmons and was cleared out of the zone.
Seconds before the end of the first half, Au fired a shot that Rosson snagged to send the scoreless stalemate to halftime.
After Grimsley put South Carolina in front 1-0, Tarah Henderson just missed a chance to equalize. Henderson beat her defender to a long service, but D'Angelo got a foot on the ball to deny her the tying goal.
With 22 minutes left, Zehra Syed served a ball for Amy Hoover, but D'Angelo cleared it just before the Brookhaven native could claim it.
The Bulldogs wrap the home weekend against No. 11 Florida at 1 p.m. Sunday. The match will be MSU's annual Kick For The Cure to help raise awareness for the fight against breast cancer. Sunday also marks Senior Day at the MSU Soccer Field, as Henderson, Kim Pettit, Serena Prendergast and Taylor Turnipseed will be honored pre-game along with former player Allison Ouren.
Two $50 gift cards to Wal-Mart will be raffled off during the match, and MSU will host a free youth skills clinic after wards.
South Carolina11-5-0 (5-2-0 SEC) vs. Mississippi State4-8-3 (1-5-1 SEC)
Date: Oct 14, 2011 Attendance: 653
Goals by period 1 2 Tot
-------------------------------
South Carolina...... 0 1 - 1
Mississippi State... 0 0 - 0
SCORING SUMMARY:
1. 57:09 SC Kayla Grimsley (unassisted) - Dribble shot from 19 yards in bottom left corner
Shots: South Carolina 15, Mississippi State 4
Saves: South Carolina 2 (Sabrina D'Angelo 2), Mississippi State 5
(Skylar Rosson 4; TEAM 1)
Team Stats
Kayla Grimsley
Dribble shot from 19 yards in bottom lef
57:09
