Bulldogs Host First Pac-12 Foe On Thursday

STARKVILLE – For the first time in school history, Mississippi State's soccer team will host a school from the Pac-12 conference on Thursday night.

The Bulldogs are set to meet Arizona State, which is receiving votes in the latest United Soccer Coaches' poll, at 7 p.m. CT on Aug. 26. The match will be broadcast on SEC Network+ with Anthony Craven and Bart Gregory on the call.

"It's a great opportunity for the girls to be tested against a really good Arizona State team," head coach James Armstrong said. "[Arizona State] is well-organized. They've won two games now. Obviously, we're 1-1. We're just looking forward to playing in front of our home crowd again and testing ourselves against a very good team."

MSU has played one match against the Pac-12 in its history, dropping a neutral-site meeting with USC in 2004. Arizona State enters the match with wins against Central Arkansas (6-1) and Southeastern Louisiana (2-1). The Bulldogs, meanwhile, boast a five-match winning streak at home dating back to last spring that includes four straight shutouts in Starkville.

"We have every belief that Arizona State will have a really good season," Armstrong added. "Playing in the Pac-12, they'll have a strong strength of schedule for us to get ready for SEC opposition and have a good RPI game as well."

Taking control of the game early will be key for MSU. The Bulldogs have averaged 15.4 shots per game over their last eight matches, including exhibitions. On Sunday, The Bulldogs took eight shots in the first half alone, scoring on a free kick in the 43^rd minute. Under Armstrong, MSU is now 12-0-0 when leading at halftime and 11-1-1 when scoring multiple goals.

Admission is free for all MSU home soccer matches. Fans in attendance on Thursday can make their own bag of "walking tacos" for free. Cowbells are welcome at the MSU Soccer Field, and fans with a cowbell will have a chance to win two tickets to the Bulldogs' football opener against Louisiana Tech on Sept. 4.

The Bulldogs remain at home on Sunday, Aug. 29 to host Southeast Missouri at 1 p.m. Fans bringing cowbells to that match will also be entered for a chance to win a pair of football tickets.

For more information on the Bulldog soccer program, visit HailState.com or search for "HailStateSOC" on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Mississippi State University Athletics

Bulldogs Host First Pac-12 Foe On Thursday

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