State Drops 1-0 Decision to Texas A&M in Hard-Fought SEC Battle

Thursday, September 21

Starkville

6:30 p.m.

Mississippi State

6-2-2, 1-1-0

Texas A&M

5-3-2, 1-0-1

Texas A&M

Mississippi St.

State Drops 1-0 Decision to Texas A&M in Hard-Fought SEC Battle

September 21, 2023 | Soccer

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Lance Pardue, Communications Fellow

STARKVILLE --- Mississippi State faced off against Texas A&M on Thursday night in front of the Bulldog faithful at the MSU Soccer Field. State and A&M carry a storied match history with close encounters. Although the last three matches were one-goal decisions in the Bulldog's favor, this latest chapter culminated in an Aggie win as they edged State 1-nill.

Despite a valiant effort from the Bulldogs, the scoring action was limited throughout the match. The crucial and only goal of the night arrived in the 82nd minute when Texas A&M's Sam Smith converted a penalty kick.

Both teams showcased remarkable defensive resilience, with Maddy Anderson making a commendable save on the Aggie's only shot on goal before the penalty kick. Meanwhile, Texas A&M's Grace McClellan made five crucial saves to protect their lead.

The match statistics underscored the closely contested nature of the game. Mississippi State outshot Texas A&M 13 to seven, with the Dawgs securing five shots on frame. Corner kicks were abundant for the Dawgs, with State's six to A&M's two. The midfield battle raged throughout the night in a physical contest, resulting in a total of 18 fouls, with Mississippi State committing 10 to Texas A&M's eight.

The Dawgs will return to the pitch on Sunday for a road contest with the Tigers of LSU. The match is set for a 6:00 PM CT kick from Baton Rouge and will be streamed via SEC Network+.

Head Coach James Armstrong
His Thoughts on the Match
JA: "I thought we played a great game against a really good quality opponent. A&M secured tons of attacking threats throughout the night. I thought defensively we were solid and created chances. We wanted to do a little better with some of those chances tonight. I thought we maybe had a few too many shots from a distance when we could have got closer to the goal. Obviously, the turning point in the game was the red card, but I was really proud of how the girls worked after that. Just one little slip-up at the end and they got that penalty, they took that chance, and it was game over at that point. Great crowd again and a great atmosphere. We did everything tonight except get those three points."

Junior Midfielder Hannah Johnson
On Getting Shots on Goal
HJ: "The momentum was for us throughout the match. Unfortunately, I could not get the correct shot off from my chances and it would be on my left foot, which is not my strong foot. I think playing through the midfield more and getting closer to the goal is ideal for my game. As long as we're taking chances at getting the ball on the net, we are doing the right thing and those opportunities will come."

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."

– HailState.com –