Thursday, October 6
Starkville
7:00 PM
Mississippi State
vs
#4 South Carolina
Bulldogs set to take on fourth-ranked Gamecocks on Thursday.
Soccer Hosts No. 4 South Carolina For Thursday Night Showdown
October 05, 2016 | Soccer
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Following a dominating performance last Friday night, the Mississippi State soccer team (6-6-0, 1-4-0 SEC) eyes an upset of No. 4 South Carolina (11-0-1, 5-0-0 SEC) as the unbeaten Gamecocks visit the MSU Soccer Field for a Thursday night clash at 7 p.m. CT.
The No. 4 ranking for USC is the highest for any opponent MSU has faced since No. 1 North Carolina on Sept. 12, 2004. MSU's highest ranked win in program history came against No. 6 Florida on Oct. 24, 2003 as the Bulldogs shocked the Gators, 1-0.
"This Thursday our team has a great opportunity to face one of the best team's in the nation," head coach Aaron Gordon said. "It's a rare occasion you get to host an unbeaten, top-5 opponent and I think our team is excited for the opportunity they will have against South Carolina. We've had a great week of preparation and we can't wait to get out on the field."
Last Time Out
The Bulldogs earned their first conference win last time out as MSU shutout visiting Alabama, 1-0. The victory was propelled by a Johanna Hamblett score just 36 seconds into the second half of last Friday night's game. The win marked the first time since 2004-05 that State has defeated Bama in back-to-back seasons.
Scouting South Carolina
The Gamecocks come into Thursday's match up riding an 11-game winning streak as USC has earned an 11-0-1 mark on the year. USC's lone draw came in its season-opener against Oklahoma, as the two squads tied 1-1 in Norman, Okla. The Gamecocks have been led by one of the nation's premier scorers this season with junior Savannah McCaskill leading the USC attack. The forward ranks third nationally in goals scored (11) and fourth in points per game (2.33) while leading the SEC in both categories by a wide margin.
Keys For MSU
The Gamecocks have allowed an average of 5.75 shots per game this season, while only being outshot in one contest. In their last three SEC outings, USC has given up four, two and three shots respectively. Key for MSU will be the ability to break through the Carolina backline and create scoring chances, which will fall on the shoulders of forwards Mallory Eubanks and MaKayla Waldner. The duo ranks first and second on the team in shots, with 25 and 23 taken on the year.
Up Next
The Maroon and White battles its second-ranked opponent of the weekend as the Bulldogs travel to Auburn on Sunday for a showdown against the 18th-ranked Tigers at 2 p.m. CT.
Additional Notes
How to Watch Thursday's Game
The contest will broadcast live on SEC Network +, with Anthony Craven (play-by-play) and Robbie Kroger (analyst) calling the action.
Live Stats
Live stats for the game can be found here or by visiting HailState.com.
Admission
Admission for Thursday's game, as with all Bulldog home games, is free.
Promotions
Thursday's contest will serve as Bulldog Soccer's "Breast Cancer Awareness" game as the team will wear pink uniforms while fans can receive pink MSU koozies while supplies last. "Greek Night" will also be promoted for the game; with the first 250 Greeks in attendance receiving MSU Soccer Crest cups while those with cowbells can pick up an MSU Soccer Crest sticker. The fan-favorite "Knockerball" tournament returns at halftime, with the winners receiving a MSU Soccer Scarf. The "$10K Crossbar Challenge" will also be back at halftime, as one lucky fan will have a chance to win $10,000.
Social Media:
For more information on the Mississippi State soccer program, follow "HailStateSOC" on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
The No. 4 ranking for USC is the highest for any opponent MSU has faced since No. 1 North Carolina on Sept. 12, 2004. MSU's highest ranked win in program history came against No. 6 Florida on Oct. 24, 2003 as the Bulldogs shocked the Gators, 1-0.
"This Thursday our team has a great opportunity to face one of the best team's in the nation," head coach Aaron Gordon said. "It's a rare occasion you get to host an unbeaten, top-5 opponent and I think our team is excited for the opportunity they will have against South Carolina. We've had a great week of preparation and we can't wait to get out on the field."
Last Time Out
The Bulldogs earned their first conference win last time out as MSU shutout visiting Alabama, 1-0. The victory was propelled by a Johanna Hamblett score just 36 seconds into the second half of last Friday night's game. The win marked the first time since 2004-05 that State has defeated Bama in back-to-back seasons.
Scouting South Carolina
The Gamecocks come into Thursday's match up riding an 11-game winning streak as USC has earned an 11-0-1 mark on the year. USC's lone draw came in its season-opener against Oklahoma, as the two squads tied 1-1 in Norman, Okla. The Gamecocks have been led by one of the nation's premier scorers this season with junior Savannah McCaskill leading the USC attack. The forward ranks third nationally in goals scored (11) and fourth in points per game (2.33) while leading the SEC in both categories by a wide margin.
Keys For MSU
The Gamecocks have allowed an average of 5.75 shots per game this season, while only being outshot in one contest. In their last three SEC outings, USC has given up four, two and three shots respectively. Key for MSU will be the ability to break through the Carolina backline and create scoring chances, which will fall on the shoulders of forwards Mallory Eubanks and MaKayla Waldner. The duo ranks first and second on the team in shots, with 25 and 23 taken on the year.
Up Next
The Maroon and White battles its second-ranked opponent of the weekend as the Bulldogs travel to Auburn on Sunday for a showdown against the 18th-ranked Tigers at 2 p.m. CT.
Additional Notes
- With six games left to be played, head coach Aaron Gordon has already recorded a career-high for wins in a season at 6
- Thursday's contest will mark the first time since 2014 the Bulldogs have faced USC
- USC leads the all-time series, 9-4-3
- MSU's last win against the Gamecocks came in Starkville on Oct. 16, 2005 (2-1)
- A total of 11 Bulldogs have scored goals for MSU this season
- The quartet of Mallory Eubanks, MaKayla Waldner, Johanna Hamblett and Kennadi Carbin are tied for the team-lead in goals with two scored this season
- Johanna Hamblett is the only freshman to start in every game for MSU
How to Watch Thursday's Game
The contest will broadcast live on SEC Network +, with Anthony Craven (play-by-play) and Robbie Kroger (analyst) calling the action.
Live Stats
Live stats for the game can be found here or by visiting HailState.com.
Admission
Admission for Thursday's game, as with all Bulldog home games, is free.
Promotions
Thursday's contest will serve as Bulldog Soccer's "Breast Cancer Awareness" game as the team will wear pink uniforms while fans can receive pink MSU koozies while supplies last. "Greek Night" will also be promoted for the game; with the first 250 Greeks in attendance receiving MSU Soccer Crest cups while those with cowbells can pick up an MSU Soccer Crest sticker. The fan-favorite "Knockerball" tournament returns at halftime, with the winners receiving a MSU Soccer Scarf. The "$10K Crossbar Challenge" will also be back at halftime, as one lucky fan will have a chance to win $10,000.
Social Media:
For more information on the Mississippi State soccer program, follow "HailStateSOC" on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
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