Soccer Downs Iowa State In Final Tune-up Before 2016 Season

Saturday, August 13

Ames, Iowa

7:30 PM

Mississippi State

0-0, 0-0

Iowa State (Exh.)

0-0, 0-0

Mississippi State

Iowa State

Soccer Downs Iowa State In Final Tune-up Before 2016 Season

August 13, 2016 | Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

AMES, Iowa – Propelled by sophomore Carly Mauldin's second goal of the preseason, the Mississippi State soccer team defeated Iowa State, 1-0, on the road to cap back-to-back exhibition wins.

The 1-0 win is State's second this preseason after beating Memphis, 3-0, on Wednesday night at the MSU Soccer Field. The four goals are the most for any Bulldog club in preseason action since 2011.

Pivotal in the scoring attack this preseason has been Mauldin, who has found a way to bury two goals after scoring none her entire freshman campaign. Her goal against the Cyclones was a deep shot, as the sophomore connected from 25-yards out.

With the exhibition slate wrapped up the Bulldogs travel to Charleston, S.C., for a pair of games to officially open the 2016 season. MSU faces College of Charleston on Friday at 6:30 p.m., before ending the weekend against Virginia Tech at 10:00 a.m., on Sunday.

Goalies Solid Again:
Between the posts, MSU has not allowed a goal this preseason as all three keepers have seen playing time. Junior Tanya de Souza earned another start at goal, as Courtney Tompkins came in relief in the 70th minute. Both keepers collected a save each on the night, but Tompkins came up clutch in the 87th minute to stop an Iowa State shot by Klasey Medelberg to preserve the shutout.

Keys For MSU:
The Bulldogs doubled their shot total from Wednesday night, as MSU took 10 shots with four on target. The Maroon and White held possession for most of the night, as they pressed the Cyclone back line to keep Iowa State on its heels.

Goal Scoring Rundown:
MSU – Carly Mauldin (61:51) After a scoreless first period in Ames, Carly Mauldin hooked a shot from 25 yards out to give MSU the only goal it needed on the night.

Additional Notes:

MSU had 21 players record minutes during Saturday's exhibition, while five freshmen saw action
The back-to-back shutouts in preseason play are the first under Gordon's tenure at MSU
State has won its last four fall exhibitions by a combined margin of 7-1
Freshmen MaKayla Waldner and Johanna Hamblett received the starting nod once again, as the pair have started in back-to-back friendlies

Head Coach Aaron Gordon Quotes:
"I'm very pleased with how our team competed against a physical Iowa State club in a hostile environment," head coach Aaron Gordon said after facing the Cyclones. "Coach Tony Minatta always has a good team and it was a battle tonight. They're in one of the best conferences in all of soccer, so this was a very successful trip for us."

"We played on a turf surface tonight, which was the first time we've done that as a team," Gordon said. "So that was another experience our team can put under their belt going forward. We battled and I thought we had a lot of positives tonight, but we also found some things we need to adjust and work on before our first game."

Up Next:
The Bulldogs open the 2016 season on the road in Charleston, S.C., as the Maroon and White face College of Charleston on Friday, Aug. 19, at 6:30 p.m. MSU will stay in Charleston for its second game as the Bulldogs take on the Hokies of Virginia Tech at 10:00 a.m., on Sunday.

Social Media:
For more information on the Mississippi State soccer program, follow "HailStateSOC" on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.