Thursday, October 31
Columbia, Mo.
7:15 PM
Mississippi State
at
Missouri
Photo by: Austin Perryman/MSU Athletics
Bulldogs Seek SEC Tournament Berth Against Missouri Thursday
October 30, 2019 | Soccer
by Brian Ogden, Assistant Coordinator/Communications
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Orange Beach is in sight for the Mississippi State soccer team, but the Bulldogs must win at Missouri on Thursday night. Kickoff is set for 7:15 p.m. CT as part of SEC Network's "Reach the Beach" whip-around special. The match will air in full on SEC Network+.
Before the Bulldogs can head south for warmer weather, they'll face frigid temperatures in Columbia with low-20s expected at kickoff. MSU must win for a chance to earn their first SEC Tournament berth in the last 15 years. The Bulldogs will also need either Auburn to lose or Tennessee to lose or tie.
"The focus right now is just controlling what we can control," head coach James Armstrong said. "It's going to be a different environment for us. The high is 32-degrees with a frozen mix in the forecast. We know that we've got to win, so we've got to score more goals than they do. I honestly believe we're playing our best soccer right now. We've just got to execute that little bit better."
Making the tournament with a victory would cap a historic season for MSU. Only one active SEC head coach (Georgia's Billy Lesesne) made the conference tournament in his first season as a head coach at any school. Armstrong would be the second. The Bulldogs would also finish the year with the third-highest SEC winning percentage in program history.
A win would give MSU three consecutive eight-win seasons for the first time in school history. It would also be MSU's fourth road victory of the year, which ranks third in program history. State has only won multiple SEC road games in four other seasons.
Location: Columbia, Missouri
Time: Thursday, 7:15 p.m. CT
Broadcast: SEC Network+ (PxP – Ben Arnet; Analyst – Jasmine Johnson)
At MSU: 2-1-1
At MU: 0-3-0
Neutral Sites: 0-0-0
Last Meeting: Sept. 21, 2017 (MU 1 at MSU 3)
For more information on the Bulldog soccer program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching for "HailStateSOC."
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Orange Beach is in sight for the Mississippi State soccer team, but the Bulldogs must win at Missouri on Thursday night. Kickoff is set for 7:15 p.m. CT as part of SEC Network's "Reach the Beach" whip-around special. The match will air in full on SEC Network+.
Before the Bulldogs can head south for warmer weather, they'll face frigid temperatures in Columbia with low-20s expected at kickoff. MSU must win for a chance to earn their first SEC Tournament berth in the last 15 years. The Bulldogs will also need either Auburn to lose or Tennessee to lose or tie.
"The focus right now is just controlling what we can control," head coach James Armstrong said. "It's going to be a different environment for us. The high is 32-degrees with a frozen mix in the forecast. We know that we've got to win, so we've got to score more goals than they do. I honestly believe we're playing our best soccer right now. We've just got to execute that little bit better."
Making the tournament with a victory would cap a historic season for MSU. Only one active SEC head coach (Georgia's Billy Lesesne) made the conference tournament in his first season as a head coach at any school. Armstrong would be the second. The Bulldogs would also finish the year with the third-highest SEC winning percentage in program history.
A win would give MSU three consecutive eight-win seasons for the first time in school history. It would also be MSU's fourth road victory of the year, which ranks third in program history. State has only won multiple SEC road games in four other seasons.
Game Information
Opponent: MissouriLocation: Columbia, Missouri
Time: Thursday, 7:15 p.m. CT
Broadcast: SEC Network+ (PxP – Ben Arnet; Analyst – Jasmine Johnson)
Series History
Overall: 2-4-1At MSU: 2-1-1
At MU: 0-3-0
Neutral Sites: 0-0-0
Last Meeting: Sept. 21, 2017 (MU 1 at MSU 3)
Fast Facts
- With a win and some help around the league, MSU can earn its first bid to the SEC Tournament since 2004. The oldest Bulldog on the roster was 7 the last time State played in the bracket.
- The Bulldogs have gone to overtime in three consecutive matches. State has needed extra time in five of its SEC matches so far. Should the Bulldogs go to overtime against Missouri on Thursday it will tie a school record for the most overtime games in a season (6) and longest streak of overtime matches (4).
- MSU has pounded recent opponents with shots, firing 54 in two games last week. While just 16 of those were on goal, it's not because the Dawgs were missing their mark. State saw 16 more shots blocked in the two matches combined, and one blocked shot still deflected off the crossbar.
- With one more goal, MaKayla Waldner will become just the fifth MSU player to post 10 goals in a season. Elisabeth Sullivan was the last to do so, and achieved the feat in both 2013 (16) and 2012 (12).
- Onyi Echegini was named the SEC Freshman of the Week on Monday after scoring against LSU (10/24) and Tennessee (10/27). Her three goals in conference play are tied for ninth in the league and second among freshmen.
- State's non-conference schedule ranks eighth this year, with three matches against ranked teams. That ranks second among SEC teams behind No. 1 Florida.
For more information on the Bulldog soccer program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching for "HailStateSOC."
Players Mentioned
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