Mississippi State
2-4-0
South Alabama
5-2-0
Soccer Falls 2-0 To South Alabama
September 13, 2014 | Soccer
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State was unable to capitalize on scoring chances Friday night, and two second-half goals proved the difference as South Alabama escaped the MSU Soccer Field with a 2-0 victory.
It was a tale of two halves on a mild Friday evening. Mississippi State held a 9-6 shots advantage, including a 5-2 edge in on-goal opportunities in the first half, but the Jaguars had the better of the scoring chances over the final 45 minutes, putting four chances on frame against two for MSU.
Unfortunately for State, South Alabama's Charde Hannah made two of those chances count as MSU fell to 2-4 on the season. USA improved to 5-2 with the win.
“When I look at the game, it boils down to executing what we needed to do from the game plan. They did exactly what we thought they were going to do; unfortunately we couldn't execute it in the first half and missed a lot of opportunities,” Gordon said. “When a team plays with a high back line and we can't punish them for it, it will come back to haunt you.”
Facing that high South Alabama back line, the Bulldogs worked the ball to Shannen Jainudeen for a pair of chances in the first seven minutes that were stopped by USA goalie Sarah Hay.
Hay, who had six saves in the match, also denied a 16th-minute attempt by Katelyn Watson, who made her first-career start.
A week after scoring her first Bulldog goal, junior Shelby Jordan nearly had No. 2 in the 37th minute off a breakaway, but Hay came off her line and made the diving stop.
In the other net, freshman Rhylee DeCrane stopped both shots she faced as the match went to halftime scoreless.
Tanya de Souza started the second half in goal and immediately stopped a Hannah header attempt in the 67th minute, but the Paris, France, rookie was unable to stop the Tupelo native's breakaway chance moments later.
Off a Bulldog corner kick, one of a school third-most 14 on the night, Hannah slipped through the Bulldog defense and put a shot just outside de Souza's reach that deflected off the near post and into the goal.
“For our team to grow, we have to understand that you have to compete at the college level. That means fighting for each little blade of grass, each little space and each ball out there or you won't get what you want. It's a hard lesson to learn, and we are learning it every day,” Gordon said. “Every team has players that can punish you, and that happened tonight. We're disappointed, but we'll come back Sunday and try to make it better.”
The Bulldogs came just short of the equalizer moments later as Hay smothered Mary Kathryn Taylor's header off the corner at the near post.
De Souza kept the game at 1-0 in the 83rd minute as she tipped a Monique Autmon shot over the crossbar, but with 12 seconds left and MSU pushed up the field looking for the equalizer, Hannah won a ball and flicked it just high of de Souza's grasp into the empty net for the final advantage.
Mississippi State will regroup quickly and prepare to host Louisiana Tech Sunday afternoon in the non-conference finale. Opening kick is set for 1 p.m. on SEC Network +.
Team Stats
Hannah, Charde (5)
break away off left post
71:07
Hannah, Charde (6)
GOAL by USA Hannah, Charde, goal number 6 for season.
89:48
