Friday, November 17
Palo Alto, California
5:30 p.m.
Mississippi State
vs
#14 Brown
Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
No. 6 Mississippi State Heads West to Face Off Against No. 3 Brown in Second-Round NCAA Action
November 16, 2023 | Soccer
PALO ALTO, Calif. – Friday marks another momentous occasion for the No. 6 seeded Mississippi State Bulldogs (11-5-5) as they are set to take on the No. 3 seeded Brown Bears (12-2-2) in Palo Alto, California for the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament with kickoff slated for 5:30 CT.
The Bulldogs find themselves in a familiar position as they have earned a spot in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season, however, these Dawgs are poised to continue their season of many "firsts".
It may be a long way from Starkville to Palo Alto, but making a long trip out west is not new to MSU. The Bulldogs played in Arizona to open up the regular season, defeating Grand Canyon for the first win of the year before battling to a draw with Arizona State. Those battles set the tone for the Dawgs throughout the season as they have been road warriors when visiting opposing pitches.
This string of road battles truly began with a trip to Gainesville, Florida, where Mississippi State captured their first-ever victory in the Swamp, defeating the University of Florida with a score of 1-0. The very next road trip for the Bulldogs saw them storm into Lexington, Kentucky to knock off the then-unbeaten Wildcats 2-0. The next time on the road was a monumental achievement as the Dawgs defeated then-16th-ranked Alabama on the road to break their 28-game unbeaten streak at home. Mississippi State is no stranger to seeing success away from home as they are 4-2-2 on the road this season.
In the First Round of the NCAA Tournament, No. 6 Mississippi State successfully took advantage of hosting postseason soccer in Starkville for the second consecutive season by defeating Providence 1-nill in a double-overtime thriller in front of the Maroon and White faithful. At the 95', Maggie Wadsworth delivered once again as she has so many times before. Wadsworth did not give up on a ball in the box, splitting the defense to send a ball past the keeper and into the back of the net. The early overtime goal ignited the Bulldog faithful and was ultimately the difference in the contest as the Bulldogs stood tall on defense for the remainder of the contest.
On the other side of the pitch are the Brown University Bears. In the final regular season United Soccer Coaches Poll, Brown secured the 14th position, while Mississippi State claimed the 18th spot.
SCOUTING BROWN
NCAA Tournament Performance: Under the guidance of Kia McNeill, Brown holds a record of 2-2-2 in NCAA Tournament matches. Over their 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, spanning ten seasons (with four under McNeill), the Bears have a cumulative record of 4-8-2.
California Return: The upcoming Friday's match marks Brown's first appearance in California since the commencement of the 2018 season when they faced Pepperdine and UC Santa Barbara.
Defensive Prowess: Following a triumphant 3-0 win over MAAC champion Quinnipiac, Brown has kept their opponents scoreless for the eighth time this season in a first-round victory.
Offensive Standout: Brittany Raphino, the Ivy League's inaugural three-time Offensive Player of the Year, enters the contest boasting a career-high 12 goals and 33 points. With seven assists this season, Raphino leads in assists and has maintained a point streak in eight consecutive matches.
Ava Seelenfreund's Contribution: Ava Seelenfreund showcased her aggressiveness in the previous Saturday's match, registering four shots on target and securing her second goal of the season in the first half. Seelenfreund holds the ninth position in program history for both points (62) and goals (25).
Goalkeeping Excellence: With her seventh shutout of the season, Clare Gagne has accumulated a 10-2-2 record in 2023.
The Bulldogs and Bears are set to kick things off in Palo Alto at 5:30 PM CT with the match being streamed on ESPN+.
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For the most up-to-date information on the Bulldogs, follow MSU women's soccer on X, like them on Facebook, and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateSoc."
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The Bulldogs find themselves in a familiar position as they have earned a spot in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season, however, these Dawgs are poised to continue their season of many "firsts".
It may be a long way from Starkville to Palo Alto, but making a long trip out west is not new to MSU. The Bulldogs played in Arizona to open up the regular season, defeating Grand Canyon for the first win of the year before battling to a draw with Arizona State. Those battles set the tone for the Dawgs throughout the season as they have been road warriors when visiting opposing pitches.
This string of road battles truly began with a trip to Gainesville, Florida, where Mississippi State captured their first-ever victory in the Swamp, defeating the University of Florida with a score of 1-0. The very next road trip for the Bulldogs saw them storm into Lexington, Kentucky to knock off the then-unbeaten Wildcats 2-0. The next time on the road was a monumental achievement as the Dawgs defeated then-16th-ranked Alabama on the road to break their 28-game unbeaten streak at home. Mississippi State is no stranger to seeing success away from home as they are 4-2-2 on the road this season.
In the First Round of the NCAA Tournament, No. 6 Mississippi State successfully took advantage of hosting postseason soccer in Starkville for the second consecutive season by defeating Providence 1-nill in a double-overtime thriller in front of the Maroon and White faithful. At the 95', Maggie Wadsworth delivered once again as she has so many times before. Wadsworth did not give up on a ball in the box, splitting the defense to send a ball past the keeper and into the back of the net. The early overtime goal ignited the Bulldog faithful and was ultimately the difference in the contest as the Bulldogs stood tall on defense for the remainder of the contest.
On the other side of the pitch are the Brown University Bears. In the final regular season United Soccer Coaches Poll, Brown secured the 14th position, while Mississippi State claimed the 18th spot.
SCOUTING BROWN
NCAA Tournament Performance: Under the guidance of Kia McNeill, Brown holds a record of 2-2-2 in NCAA Tournament matches. Over their 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, spanning ten seasons (with four under McNeill), the Bears have a cumulative record of 4-8-2.
California Return: The upcoming Friday's match marks Brown's first appearance in California since the commencement of the 2018 season when they faced Pepperdine and UC Santa Barbara.
Defensive Prowess: Following a triumphant 3-0 win over MAAC champion Quinnipiac, Brown has kept their opponents scoreless for the eighth time this season in a first-round victory.
Offensive Standout: Brittany Raphino, the Ivy League's inaugural three-time Offensive Player of the Year, enters the contest boasting a career-high 12 goals and 33 points. With seven assists this season, Raphino leads in assists and has maintained a point streak in eight consecutive matches.
Ava Seelenfreund's Contribution: Ava Seelenfreund showcased her aggressiveness in the previous Saturday's match, registering four shots on target and securing her second goal of the season in the first half. Seelenfreund holds the ninth position in program history for both points (62) and goals (25).
Goalkeeping Excellence: With her seventh shutout of the season, Clare Gagne has accumulated a 10-2-2 record in 2023.
The Bulldogs and Bears are set to kick things off in Palo Alto at 5:30 PM CT with the match being streamed on ESPN+.
Â
For the most up-to-date information on the Bulldogs, follow MSU women's soccer on X, like them on Facebook, and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateSoc."
Â
– HailState.com –
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