Another season is in the books for the soccer Bulldogs.
Season In Review: Bulldog Soccer 2016
November 01, 2016 | Soccer
STARKVILLE, Miss. – With the program's most wins since 2012 under its belt and the season officially concluded for the Mississippi State soccer team, it's time now to look back on the year that was filled with excitement and youthful energy.
Best Season Since 2012
In 2016, the Bulldogs finished the year with six wins, which is the most since 2012's squad won nine in a season. Four of the six wins came against teams with winning records (College of Charleston, South Alabama, Southern Miss and Alabama). The six total wins against 2016's schedule was extremely impressive considering 14 of MSU's 18 opponents finished the year with a winning record.
Non-Conference Success
The Maroon and White also had success on the road in 2016, as the squad earned its first road win against Southern Miss in Hattiesburg since Sept. 21, 2008, while the Bulldogs' overtime win at South Alabama marked MSU's first win in Mobile since Sept. 4, 2009. MSU received its highest ranking ever in the NSCAA South Region poll after downing South Alabama on Sept. 2 as the Bulldogs rose to No. 8 in the third week of voting.
Road Dawgs
The road success continued throughout out-of-conference play as the Bulldogs earned a 5-2-0 record while going undefeated against non-conference teams on the road for the first time 2009. The Bulldogs also turned in the highest goal total in non-conference play since 2014 after netting 11 goals.
One-Goal Defeats
The team had its share of extremely close losses in 2016 as the Bulldogs dropped eight one-goal decisions. Three of the defeats against ranked foes No. 17 Virginia Tech, No. 4 South Carolina and No. 20 Florida had the winning goal come within the final 11 minutes of the game.
Mallory Eubanks
Junior Mallory Eubanks led the team in goals (3), assists (3) and points (9) while leading the Bulldogs in 2016. The Lexington, Ky., native's efforts were awarded on Sunday as she was named to the All-SEC Second Team for the first time in her career. Her award in 2016 is the first All-SEC Second Team selection for MSU since Elisabeth Sullivan in 2013.
Tanya de Souza
Between the posts, goalie Tanya de Souza had a banner year for the Bulldogs in her third season with the club. The junior earned the most saves in a season for her career, while also being named MSU's first SEC Defensive Player of the Week recipient since Skylar Rosson in 2011. Furthermore, de Souza's 88 saves in 2016 nearly outnumbered her first two season totals as she entered this season with 91 career saves.
Youth Providing Scoring
The Bulldogs had 11 different players score goals in 2016, which is the most since 2008's 13. MSU returns nine of those scorers in 2017, only losing seniors Ari Holmes and Mila Coner. Three freshmen, three sophomores, three juniors and two seniors complied the classifications of MSU's goal scorers in 2016. With assist production, MSU had nine different players earn assists with three being freshmen (MaKayla Waldner, Johanna Hamblett and Alexa England)
Freshmen and Sophomore Minute Production
The Bulldogs played six freshmen in 2016, with four of those freshmen, McKenna de Graaf, Johanna Hamblett, Emily Malone and MaKayla Waldner, earning multiple starts. The Bulldog freshmen earned 4,650 minutes on the field, accounting for 33% of MSU's total minutes. If you add Bulldog sophomores to that mix, then the total minutes from the two underclasses logged a whopping 10,119 minutes on the field, accounting for 73% of MSU's total minutes.
Additional 2016 Notes
Social Media
For more information on the Mississippi State soccer program, follow "HailStateSOC" on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Best Season Since 2012
In 2016, the Bulldogs finished the year with six wins, which is the most since 2012's squad won nine in a season. Four of the six wins came against teams with winning records (College of Charleston, South Alabama, Southern Miss and Alabama). The six total wins against 2016's schedule was extremely impressive considering 14 of MSU's 18 opponents finished the year with a winning record.
Non-Conference Success
The Maroon and White also had success on the road in 2016, as the squad earned its first road win against Southern Miss in Hattiesburg since Sept. 21, 2008, while the Bulldogs' overtime win at South Alabama marked MSU's first win in Mobile since Sept. 4, 2009. MSU received its highest ranking ever in the NSCAA South Region poll after downing South Alabama on Sept. 2 as the Bulldogs rose to No. 8 in the third week of voting.
Road Dawgs
The road success continued throughout out-of-conference play as the Bulldogs earned a 5-2-0 record while going undefeated against non-conference teams on the road for the first time 2009. The Bulldogs also turned in the highest goal total in non-conference play since 2014 after netting 11 goals.
One-Goal Defeats
The team had its share of extremely close losses in 2016 as the Bulldogs dropped eight one-goal decisions. Three of the defeats against ranked foes No. 17 Virginia Tech, No. 4 South Carolina and No. 20 Florida had the winning goal come within the final 11 minutes of the game.
Mallory Eubanks
Junior Mallory Eubanks led the team in goals (3), assists (3) and points (9) while leading the Bulldogs in 2016. The Lexington, Ky., native's efforts were awarded on Sunday as she was named to the All-SEC Second Team for the first time in her career. Her award in 2016 is the first All-SEC Second Team selection for MSU since Elisabeth Sullivan in 2013.
Tanya de Souza
Between the posts, goalie Tanya de Souza had a banner year for the Bulldogs in her third season with the club. The junior earned the most saves in a season for her career, while also being named MSU's first SEC Defensive Player of the Week recipient since Skylar Rosson in 2011. Furthermore, de Souza's 88 saves in 2016 nearly outnumbered her first two season totals as she entered this season with 91 career saves.
Youth Providing Scoring
The Bulldogs had 11 different players score goals in 2016, which is the most since 2008's 13. MSU returns nine of those scorers in 2017, only losing seniors Ari Holmes and Mila Coner. Three freshmen, three sophomores, three juniors and two seniors complied the classifications of MSU's goal scorers in 2016. With assist production, MSU had nine different players earn assists with three being freshmen (MaKayla Waldner, Johanna Hamblett and Alexa England)
Freshmen and Sophomore Minute Production
The Bulldogs played six freshmen in 2016, with four of those freshmen, McKenna de Graaf, Johanna Hamblett, Emily Malone and MaKayla Waldner, earning multiple starts. The Bulldog freshmen earned 4,650 minutes on the field, accounting for 33% of MSU's total minutes. If you add Bulldog sophomores to that mix, then the total minutes from the two underclasses logged a whopping 10,119 minutes on the field, accounting for 73% of MSU's total minutes.
Additional 2016 Notes
- Head coach Aaron Gordon recorded a career-high for wins in a season at six
- MSU continued its win streak against Alabama in 2016, as the Bulldogs earned their first back-to-back victories over the Tide since 2004-2005
- The Bulldogs earned the program's first wins against College of Charleston and Louisiana Lafayette
- The 227 shots and 110 shots on goal were the most by a MSU club since 2013 (227 and 123)
- Ari Holmes, Khalyn Harmon and Courtney Robicheaux all recorded their first goals as Bulldogs
- Three freshmen earned goals (MaKayla Waldner, Johanna Hamblett and McKenna de Graaf)
- Carly Mauldin again led the team in minutes after logging 1,653, the sophomore came just shy 10 minutes shy of her team-leading mark set last year
- Carly Mauldin also went the distance 17 times to lead the team
- Freshman Johanna Hamblett started all 18 games, while earning a freshmen-high 1,520 minutes
Social Media
For more information on the Mississippi State soccer program, follow "HailStateSOC" on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
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