Mississippi State
6-10-1 (3-7-1SEC)
Ole Miss
8-10-1 (4-7SEC)
Bulldogs Close Season With Tough 2-0 Setback To Rebels
October 28, 2011 | Soccer
OXFORD, Miss. - Mississippi State battled valiantly on a cold night in Oxford, but the Dawgs were unable to come through with the road victory as Ole Miss reclaimed the Magnolia Cup with a hard-fought 2-0 victory.
State ended the season 6-10-1 overall and 3-7-1 in SEC play. The Dawgs wrapped the season with their most conference wins since 2004, including upsets of two ranked foes for the first time since the 2003 campaign.
Both teams battled to a scoreless opening half, but the Rebels (8-10-1 overall, 4-7-0 SEC) took the win with Mandy McCalla goals in the 68th and 83rd minutes.
"After a poor start to the match, I thought we came back and played really good soccer in the second half," MSU coach Neil Macdonald said. "We had chances, but we just didn't take them and the game swung on a couple of errors. I am very proud of this team for the progress it has made this season. We have come a long way this year, and we have a bright future ahead of us."
The Rebels claimed a 23-9 edge in shots, but they managed to put just 11 of those on target while State only missed the frame twice.
Junior goalkeeper Skylar Rosson, the SEC leader in saves and No. 5 nationally, turned away nine attempts to end the campaign with 131 saves, the second-most in MSU history.
The Edmond, Okla., native will enter her senior campaign with a school third-most 249 stops.
Both teams played to a scoreless stalemate in the opening half despite combining for 15 shots. Ole Miss' Erin Emerson missed a wide open look wide 25 seconds in. She created another opportunity at the 2:06 mark, but Rosson made the leaping save.
UM keeper Kelly McCormick had to make a jumping save, one of seven stops in the contest, two minutes later to turn away State's first good look on goal, a Sullivan shot toward the top shelf.
Rosson made another big stop at the 11-minute mark. Rafaelle Souza broke past the MSU defense and looked far post, but Rosson made a diving stop to deflect the ball past the goal.
In the 13th minute, Jasmine Simmons fired a shot on target, but the Oklahoma City native was unable to slip the attempt past McCormick.
Three minutes later Sullivan worked to the right just beyond the Ole Miss 18-yard box and fired a shot that McCormick snagged just before it could get in the right post.
Ole Miss countered and Souza tried another attempt from the left wing that sailed just wide of the far post.
Rosson made three more of her five opening-half saves on a pair of shots by McCalla and another by Meredith Snow.
The Bulldogs came out gunning in the second half, and two minutes in, junior Madison McKee fired a ball toward the top shelf that McCormick tipped just enough to bounce it off the cross bar.
Two minutes later, McCalla tried to hit the top shelf, but Rosson rose up and made the save.
In the 54th minute, Tarah Henderson corralled a loose ball and fired a shot from 20 yards out that McCormick saved. The Martinez, Ga., native had another attempt in the 56th minute that had the Maroon & White faithful on their feet before it sailed inches over the cross bar.
Souza created the first Ole Miss scoring threat of the second half with a long shot that just carried left of the goal. The Rebels missed another chance off a corner kick when Emily Sinovich flicked her attempt in front of goal wide of the far post.
Ole Miss broke the stalemate in the 68th minute off a free kick four yards outside the MSU 18-yard box. Alix Hildal's kick deflected off Rosson, and McCalla put in the rebound to give the Rebels the 1-0 advantage.
UM went ahead 2-0 in the 83rd minute as McCalla hit her second goal of the night off a pass from Erin Emerson.
Moments later, State earned a penalty kick following an Ole Miss foul in the box. Simmons tried to deposit the ball in the left side of the net, but McCormick guessed correctly and made the save.
Mississippi State 6-10-1 (3-7-1 SEC) vs. Ole Miss 8-10-1 (4-7 SEC)
Date: Oct 28, 2011 Attendance: 1212
Weather: Clear, 49 degrees
Goals by period 1 2 Tot
-------------------------------
Mississippi State... 0 0 - 0
Ole Miss............ 0 2 - 2
SCORING SUMMARY:
1. 67:08 UM Mandy McCalla (4) (Alix Hildal) - finish off a free kick
2. 82:01 UM Mandy McCalla (5) (Erin Emerson) - one-time shot inside box
Shots: Mississippi State 9, Ole Miss 23
Saves: Mississippi State 9 (Skylar Rosson 9), Ole Miss 7 (Kelly
McCormick 7)
Team Stats
Mandy McCalla (4)
Assisted By: Alix Hildal
finish off a free kick
67:08
Mandy McCalla (5)
Assisted By: Erin Emerson
one-time shot inside box
82:01
