The Mississippi State women’s soccer team silenced Southern University during round one of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday.
The top-seeded Bulldogs (18-2, 10-0 SEC) wasted little time getting on the scoreboard. Nine minutes into the match, Maggie Wadsworth turned an assist from Aitana Martinez-Montoya into the first goal of the game. Mississippi State would go on to score six more on the way to a 7-0 victory.
Price Loposer, Martinez-Montoya, Rylie Combs, Ally Perry, Zoe Main, and Kara Harris all found the back of the net as Mississippi State’s seven goals marked the most scored in a match since 2008 and the most by any SEC team in this year’s first round. The Bulldogs’ offensive excellence was paired with a stout defense that didn’t allow the Jaguars (7-10, 5-1-2 SWAC) a shot attempt all evening.
Records were broken off the field as well. 3,461 fans packed the pitch in Starkville to make for not only the school’s attendance record but the largest attendance out of any first-round game across the nation.
“To see the line of people waiting to get in tonight gave us goosebumps,” Mississippi State head coach James Armstrong said. “When we heard how loud they were and how into the game they were, it was more than we could ever ask. But we will ask they come back next Friday.”
As Armstrong noted, the Bulldogs will get another home playoff game on Friday, Nov. 22. Mississippi State will look to extend its home winning streak to 16 when it welcomes Washington in round two of the NCAA Tournament. The match will begin at 6 p.m. CT with tickets available here.
