MSU Comes Back To Earn Draw At Georgia

Thursday, September 23

Athens, Ga.

5:00 p.m.

Mississippi State

2-3-3, 0-1-1

Georgia

7-2-1, 0-1-1

Mississippi St.

Georgia

MSU Comes Back To Earn Draw At Georgia

September 23, 2021 | Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

By: Brian Ogden, Associate Director/Communications

ATHENS, Ga. – After surrendering a pair of early goals, Mississippi State battled back to earn a 2-2 draw at Georgia on Thursday night.

Trailing 2-0 in the 20^th minute, MSU (2-3-3, 0-1-1 SEC) flipped the match with two goals of its own before halftime. MSU outshot Georgia, 16-12, and earned eight corners to UGA's six. Georgia (7-2-1, 0-1-1 SEC) entered the match averaging 24.9 shots per game.

Georgia opened the scoring in the 12^th minute when Mollie Belisle, the nation's leading goal scorer, dribbled past State's goalkeeper, Maddy Anderson. Daniella Murguia picked up an assist on the play. Eight minutes later, the Georgia duo traded places as Murguia scored with an assist from Belisle.

Just 17 seconds after going down two goals, Monigo Karnley got State on the board. Gwen Mummert played a long pass up the right side. Karnley held off her defender and slotted the ball calmly into the bottom right corner of the net.

"Getting the goal back straight after we'd gone down 2-0 – by two soft goals from our standpoint that weren't well-played defensively at our end – was huge," head coach James Armstrong said. "In terms of the moment of the game, it definitely was the response of the young ladies to get back into the game changed the momentum for sure."

MSU evened the match in the 31^st minute. Onyi Echegini possessed the ball in the middle of the park and played it out wide to Andrea Tyrrell. Tyrrell played a ball between two defenders to Hailey Farrington-Bentil. Once the goalkeeper came out to challenge her, Farrington-Bentil cut the ball back to Tyrrell who slid in before the defender to deflect it into the net for her third career goal.

"Ang started at center back and moved to outside back. She found herself in the box to score the equalizing goal that was huge for us," Armstrong added. "She's a young lady that has a ton of grit about her, and she worked hard throughout the game."

From there, Anderson stepped up to preserve the tie for the Bulldogs. In the 64^th minute, Anderson came up with a big stop from close range. In the final 20 minutes, State had multiple chances to win the match.

Echegini put a shot just wide in the 74^th minute, and Marcella Cash made the keeper make a save to earn a corner in the 79^th. In the 86^th minute, Tyrrell connected with Elle Otto who crossed to Echegini whose effort was stopped just short by a defender.

In overtime, Anderson again came up with a game-saving stop on a one-on-one opportunity, denying a bid at the far post.

The Bulldogs return home on Sunday, Sept. 26 for a 6 p.m. CT kickoff against Florida. State's SEC home opener will air on SEC Network+. The match will open a three-game home stretch for MSU.

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