Coleman's Two-Goal Game Lifts Bulldogs to Opening Night Win

Thursday, August 16

Starkville

7:00 PM

Mississippi State

1-0-0

Southern Miss

0-1-0

Team	1	2	Final F
Southern Miss.	0	0	0
Mississippi State	2	1	3

Gabriella Coleman scored the first goal of her career then added another on the way to a 3-0 win on opening night.

Coleman's Two-Goal Game Lifts Bulldogs to Opening Night Win

August 16, 2018 | Soccer

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STARKVILLE, Miss. – Four minutes were all the Mississippi State soccer team needed to take a control of the match on the way to a 3-0 win over Southern Miss to open the season.

Junior MaKayla Waldner found the back of the net just 10 seconds into the fourth minute after a series of headers off a cross. Freshman Miranda Carrasco served the ball in, but Waldner's initial header attempt went wide. Senior Carly Mauldin was waiting for it; however, and used her head to volley it back to Waldner who headed it home.

The goal would stand up as the game-winner, giving Waldner six for her career. She is now just two shy of the school record set by Meredith Riekert (1995-98).

"(The early lead) gives us positive thoughts everywhere," head coach Tom Anagnost said. "It normally kind of calms you down a little bit. In any game, the first goal is extraordinarily important."

In the 30^th minute, another Carrasco corner led to a goal. After the ball initially fell to sophomore AK Ward, sophomore Gabriella Coleman headed the ball over the keeper's hands for the first goal of her career.

Coleman would come back to score again in the second half. After Carrasco lobbed a cross into the box, Coleman headed it home for the first multi-goal game of her career.

"We kept going at them in the second half," Anagnost said. "I was a little frustrated because I felt like we left some stuff on the table there. I think we're good enough to score a few more goals."

The Bulldog defense held Southern Miss to just one shot on goal, a low ball from distance that redshirt senior Rhylee DeCrane handled easily. State finished with a 21-2 edge in shots, on its way to tying the largest opening night win since the Bulldogs beat Tulane 5-1 in 2001. In 2008, MSU knocked off Mississippi Valley State, 3-0, to open the year.

"I think we were pretty smart today," Anagnost said. "I think they did a good job of just keeping everything in front of them. I'm pleased with how they executed the game plan. I think we could've kept the ball for longer stretches, especially when the game gets frantic or people get tired, but all in all it was a great first game."

MSU will travel to Nacogdoches, Texas, on Sunday to match up with Stephen F. Austin. State won the first meeting between the programs last season in its home opener. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. CT.

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