Bulldogs Fall At Home To Vanderbilt

Thursday, October 16

Starkville

6 p.m.

Mississippi State

9-4-1, 4-3-1

#21 Vanderbilt

11-3-1, 5-2-1

Vanderbilt

Mississippi St.

Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics

Bulldogs Fall At Home To Vanderbilt

October 16, 2025 | Soccer

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By: Brian Ogden, Director/Communications

STARKVILLE – Mississippi State soccer fell, 5-1, at the hands of No. 21 Vanderbilt on Thursday night, snapping State's 19-match regular-season unbeaten streak at home.

The Commodores (11-3-1, 5-2-1 SEC) scored four first-half goals, opening the scoring just four minutes into the match. Vanderbilt got goals from four different players in the first 45 minutes, taking 10 shots and putting seven on target. They found the net for the second time in the 14th minute and scored in quick succession in the 36th and 38th minutes.

"Vanderbilt is really good, and that is a team that has a lot of the same players that went last year and beat Florida State [in the NCAA Tournament]," head coach Nick Zimmerman said. "They returned a ton of players, and we thought going in they were playing the best football in the conference and really almost in the country. Credit to them. They were fantastic tonight."

Kyra Taylor scored the lone Bulldog goal. In the 50th minute, she corralled a high ball and played it back to Kennedy Husbands. Husbands gave a pass right back to Taylor who split two defenders and shot to the short-side post to put MSU on the board.

The teams tied in the second half as Vanderbilt added one final goal on a free kick from 30 yards out to result in the final score. State, however, outshot the Commodores in the second half and forced their keeper to make three saves in the frame.

"In the second half, we changed shape and had some good moments, which is good for us as a young team to play against a team of that caliber," Zimmerman added. "However, if we do not do the little things, at times, we are going to get punished, but it was really good for us and our process as a team."

Mississippi State (9-4-1, 4-3-1 SEC) now travels to Alabama on Sunday evening for a 6 p.m. CT kickoff on SEC Network+.

For more information on the Bulldog soccer program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSOC."