AK Ward found the net three times for a hat trick in Sunday's exhibition match.
Ward’s Hat Trick Leads Bulldogs Past Southern Miss
April 14, 2019 | Soccer
by Brian Ogden, Assistant Coordinator/Communications
STARKVILLE – James Armstrong got his first taste of soccer in Starkville on Sunday afternoon as Mississippi State defeated Southern Miss, 4-3, in a spring exhibition as part of Super Bulldog Weekend.
AK Ward opened the scoring just 45 seconds into the game. After Zakirah McGillivary's shot was blocked in the box, the clearance attempt came to rest on Ward's foot at the edge of the six-yard box where she fired it home for a 1-0 lead.
Southern Miss answered in the fifth and 12th minutes with shots from distance that slid through the Bulldog keeper's hands in the slick conditions.
Ward found the net again in the 27th minute with a shot from the top of the box that beat the keeper low and to the right. MaKayla Waldner picked up an assist on the play to tie the game. Moments later the Golden Eagles struck again in the 29th minute to take a 3-2 lead that would stand at halftime.
Waldner found Ward a second time in the 60th minute with a pass through the box that set up a clean look for Ward's third goal of the day. With time winding down, the Bulldogs earned a corner in the 85th minute that led to Waldner putting a header off the post.
Moments later, Miranda Carrasco made a long run up the sideline before laying the ball off the Olivia Hernandez who beat the rushing keeper low and watched her shot trickle in off the inside of the post for the game-winning goal.
State will close the spring schedule on Thursday, April 18 with a final exhibition match against Mississippi College at 5 p.m.
For more information on the Bulldog soccer program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching for "HailStateSOC."
STARKVILLE – James Armstrong got his first taste of soccer in Starkville on Sunday afternoon as Mississippi State defeated Southern Miss, 4-3, in a spring exhibition as part of Super Bulldog Weekend.
AK Ward opened the scoring just 45 seconds into the game. After Zakirah McGillivary's shot was blocked in the box, the clearance attempt came to rest on Ward's foot at the edge of the six-yard box where she fired it home for a 1-0 lead.
Southern Miss answered in the fifth and 12th minutes with shots from distance that slid through the Bulldog keeper's hands in the slick conditions.
Ward found the net again in the 27th minute with a shot from the top of the box that beat the keeper low and to the right. MaKayla Waldner picked up an assist on the play to tie the game. Moments later the Golden Eagles struck again in the 29th minute to take a 3-2 lead that would stand at halftime.
Waldner found Ward a second time in the 60th minute with a pass through the box that set up a clean look for Ward's third goal of the day. With time winding down, the Bulldogs earned a corner in the 85th minute that led to Waldner putting a header off the post.
Moments later, Miranda Carrasco made a long run up the sideline before laying the ball off the Olivia Hernandez who beat the rushing keeper low and watched her shot trickle in off the inside of the post for the game-winning goal.
State will close the spring schedule on Thursday, April 18 with a final exhibition match against Mississippi College at 5 p.m.
For more information on the Bulldog soccer program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching for "HailStateSOC."
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