Soccer Opens Three-Game Homestand Thursday

by Brian Ogden, Assistant Coordinator/Communications

STARKVILLE – Mississippi State's soccer team returns home on Thursday for the first of two matches in Starkville this week.

The Bulldogs will host Central Arkansas at 7 p.m. CT tomorrow with the match broadcast on the SEC Network+. The first 250 fans in attendance will receive free pop sockets with the MSU soccer crest on them, and the team will also give away a pair of tickets to the football team's home opener on Saturday.

The Bears and Bulldogs first met last year in MSU's fourth match of the season. At that time, MSU was 3-0-0 on the year, and now finds itself in a similar spot at 4-0-0.

Central Arkansas was fresh off a loss to Missouri State last year but won this season's battle of the Bears by a score of 2-0 on Sunday. UCA was picked to finish fourth in the Southland Conference this year and boasts freshman Gracie Hair who was named a TopDrawerSoccer.com Spring High School All-American.

MSU is currently tied for second in the SEC in total goals (14), thanks in large part to junior MaKayla Waldner who is tied for the NCAA lead with five goals to her name. Freshman Miranda Carrasco has helped anchor a back line that has allowed just 7.8 shots per game and is tied for fifth in the country with four assists.

State is one of four teams in the conference without a loss and one of just three to have won every game this year. A win would mark the first time in program history that the Bulldogs have started 5-0-0 in consecutive seasons after opening with six straight wins a year ago.

Thursday's match is part of a larger perfect attendance challenge for MSU students. Those that attend the game along with Cowbell Yell on Thursday night, the football game on Saturday and soccer on Sunday will receive 500 bonus Hail State Rewards points. One lucky student will also win custom adidas UltraBoosts, a signed soccer ball and 1,000 rewards points.

MSU closes the weekend at home against Austin Peay on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT. The Bulldogs' five seniors will be honored with senior day festivities before the game.

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."

Soccer Opens Three-Game Homestand Thursday

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Players Mentioned

Miranda Carrasco

MaKayla Waldner

Mississippi State University Athletics