No. 18 State Soccer Secures 4-0 Victory Over Northwestern State

Sunday, August 18

Starkville

1 p.m.

Mississippi State

2-0-0, 0-0-0

Northwestern State

0-2-0, 0-0-0

Northwestern St.

Mississippi St.

Photo by: Mike Mattina/MSU Athletics

No. 18 State Soccer Secures 4-0 Victory Over Northwestern State

August 18, 2024 | Soccer

Box Score Post Game Press Conference Photo Gallery

By: Lance Pardue, Communications Fellow

STARKVILLE – Mississippi State Soccer (2-0-0) continued its strong start to the 2024 season with a commanding 4-0 win over Northwestern State (0-2-0) on Sunday afternoon at the MSU Soccer Field.

The Dawgs set the tone early, with Alivia Buxton finding the back of the net just 4:58 into the match. Buxton's first goal since 2022 came off a well-executed play, with assists from Ally Perry and Hannah Johnson who both secured their second assists of the season. This early strike gave State a lead they would not relinquish.

Despite a determined defensive effort from Northwestern State, which kept the scoreline close through much of the match, MSU broke the game wide open in the second half. The Bulldogs' relentless attack paid off when Aitana Martinez-Montoya converted a penalty kick in the 79th minute, doubling the lead.

Just two minutes later, Buxton turned provider, assisting Naila Schoefberger for her first goal of her collegiate soccer career. The Bulldogs capped off their scoring spree with a team goal at 81:25, putting the game well out of reach.

State's defense was equally impressive, holding Northwestern State to just one shot, which did not require a save Maddy Anderson. In contrast, the Dawgs peppered the opposing goal with 29 shots, 11 of which were on target. Northwestern State's Libe Banuelos made eight saves on the day.

With this win, Mississippi State extends its winning streak over Northwestern State to nine games, dating back to 1996. The Bulldogs will look to maintain their momentum as they continue their season.

Mississippi State has yet to concede a goal this season as Maddy Anderson secured yet another shutout in the Maroon and White, bringing her career total to 27.

Quoting Head Coach James Armstrong
On Creating Scoring Chances
JA: "I am really pleased with the variety of chances we created.. At halftime, the main message was that we were delivering some quality balls into the box, but the runs needed to be more aggressive to connect with them. I am proud of the different combinations we saw in central areas and the good shots from distance. Northwestern State deserves credit for their defensive efforts; they had a lot of players behind the ball, made some crucial blocks, and their keeper pulled off a couple of good saves. We are showing diversity in our attack, which is something we take pride in and are continuing to develop."

Quoting Junior Midfielder Alivia Buxton
On Being Back On The Pitch In 2024
AB: "I definitely think my confidence is back. That plays a huge part of who I am. I am getting back to myself and that is really exciting for me.

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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