The Bulldogs re-wrote the MSU record books on their way to the first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history.
Bulldogs Review a Soccer Season for the Record Books
November 16, 2018 | Soccer
by Brian Ogden, Assistant Coordinator/Communications
STARKVILLE – By now, the Mississippi State soccer team's historic season is fairly well-known. Highlighted by the program's first appearance in the NCAA Tournament, 2018 was a year to remember.
State opened the year with an undefeated run through the non-conference schedule, posting a 7-0-0 record and tying the program record with an eight-game winning streak dating back to 2017.
MSU finished with a 9-7-2 overall record and the No. 17 RPI in the nation, its highest finish in school history. The Bulldogs climbed as high as No. 2 in the RPI in the first rankings of the season. MSU also earned its first rankings in both major national polls and boasted the toughest schedule in the nation according to NCAA Statistics.
The Bulldogs claimed two signature wins over RPI top-20 teams this year. In August, State traveled to Memphis and handed the Tigers a 5-2 loss. State scored four second-half goals, and that scoring output was tied with its game against Alabama for the highest goal total of the year. State's five goals against the Tide were the most the team has scored in conference play in program history.
In their second match of conference play, the Bulldogs took down South Carolina, a College Cup team a year ago, after only allowing one goal on a penalty kick. Freshman Zakirah McGillivary scored in the 93rd minute to give MSU a 2-1 win over the then-No. 13/6 Gamecocks in front of a school-record crowd in Starkville.
Team Highlights…
Individual Highlights…
For more information on the Bulldog soccer program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching for "HailStateSOC." You can also find all-access coverage of the program on SnapChat by searching for "HailStateSnap."
STARKVILLE – By now, the Mississippi State soccer team's historic season is fairly well-known. Highlighted by the program's first appearance in the NCAA Tournament, 2018 was a year to remember.
State opened the year with an undefeated run through the non-conference schedule, posting a 7-0-0 record and tying the program record with an eight-game winning streak dating back to 2017.
MSU finished with a 9-7-2 overall record and the No. 17 RPI in the nation, its highest finish in school history. The Bulldogs climbed as high as No. 2 in the RPI in the first rankings of the season. MSU also earned its first rankings in both major national polls and boasted the toughest schedule in the nation according to NCAA Statistics.
The Bulldogs claimed two signature wins over RPI top-20 teams this year. In August, State traveled to Memphis and handed the Tigers a 5-2 loss. State scored four second-half goals, and that scoring output was tied with its game against Alabama for the highest goal total of the year. State's five goals against the Tide were the most the team has scored in conference play in program history.
In their second match of conference play, the Bulldogs took down South Carolina, a College Cup team a year ago, after only allowing one goal on a penalty kick. Freshman Zakirah McGillivary scored in the 93rd minute to give MSU a 2-1 win over the then-No. 13/6 Gamecocks in front of a school-record crowd in Starkville.
Team Highlights…
- MSU allowed 17 goals this season, the fewest in program history. The Bulldogs allowed 0.91 goals per game, which was second only to the 2003 season when State posted a 0.86 mark (18 goals over 20 games).
- The Bulldog defense held opponents to a program-record 11.6 shots per game. The previous record was 12.0 set in both 2015 and 2017.
- That same defense kept shots away from the net as the Bulldogs finished the year with their lowest save total in program history.
- On the offensive end of the field, MSU recorded its highest shots per game mark in school history, averaging 18.44. Bulldogs fired 332 total shots which was second only to the 1996 campaign's 342.
- The Bulldogs scored 32 goals, which ranks fifth in school history. MSU's plus-15 goal differential was second in program history. The 1996 team finished plus-27.
- State entered the season with the most freshmen on its roster of any SEC team. Including transfers, Bulldog newcomers recorded 44.6 percent of MSU's points (41 of 92) giving the Bulldogs the highest percentage of scoring by newcomers in the conference.
Individual Highlights…
- Redshirt senior Rhylee DeCrane broke two MSU single-season records this year, recording eight shutouts and turning in a 0.86 goals against average. Her nine wins were tied for second in a single season.
- DeCrane's 132 career saves put her ninth all-time, and her 1.37 career goals against average is third.
- SEC All-Freshman Team selection Zakirah McGillivary led MSU with 17 points and eight goals. McGillivary's goals were the most by a Bulldog freshman since Jessi Moore scored 11 in 2001 and tied for eighth all-time in a single-season.
- McGillivary also led the SEC with a .643 shots on goal percentage through the regular season, and tied junior MaKayla Waldner's single-season game-winning goals record with five this year. She is now tied for fifth in MSU's career record books.
- Waldner moved up to a tie for second with seven career game-winning goals. She needs two next year to tie Meredith Riekert (1995-98) for the school record.
- Waldner is also fourth in school history with 146 shots and fifth in shots on goal (64).
- Freshman Miranda Carrasco recorded seven assists which ranks tied for third in MSU freshman history and tied for seventh in a single season.
- Second Team All-SEC selection Carly Mauldin started every match of her career and finished tied for seventh in program history with 72 starts. The senior's 6,545 career minutes are fifth all-time.
- Senior Brooke McKee finished her career tied for 10th with 12 goals and sixth in goals per game (0.91) for her career.
- Senior Courtney Robicheaux played all but 48 minutes of SEC play over her four years in Starkville. She led MSU in minutes this year and finished her career ranked eighth all-time with 6,235 minutes.
- Junior Hailey Zerbel became the first Bulldog to record three assists in a conference match when she recorded three helpers against Alabama. Two assists came off her flip-throw while the third was a header in the box.
For more information on the Bulldog soccer program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching for "HailStateSOC." You can also find all-access coverage of the program on SnapChat by searching for "HailStateSnap."
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