Bulldogs Drop Overtime Decision At No. 3 South Carolina On Thursday

Thursday, October 5

Columbia, S.C.

6:00 PM

Mississippi State

7-2-3 (1-2-2SEC)

#3 South Carolina

11-1-0 (5-0-0SEC)

OT 2

Mississippi State

South Carolina

Payton Gruenewald netted her second goal of the year in the fourth minute to give State an early 1-0 lead against No. 3 South Carolina

Bulldogs Drop Overtime Decision At No. 3 South Carolina On Thursday

October 05, 2017 | Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

COLUMBIA, S.C. – A valiant upset bid fell just short on Thursday night as Mississippi State (7-2-3, 1-2-2 SEC) dropped a tough 3-2 overtime decision to No. 3 South Carolina (11-1, 5-0) at Stone Stadium.

It was the third consecutive contest that the Bulldogs competed in extra time, with the previous two resulting in draws against LSU and Auburn.

"I give South Carolina all the credit," MSU coach Tom Anagnost said. "They're an excellent team that is really well-coached and they have very good players on their team. We competed well at times. It just wasn't a full game. For me, it's a mentality thing. We didn't have a strong mentality the whole game and the better team won. They deserved the result and we will regroup and get our minds and bodies right for a tough game on Sunday."

State took the early lead when Brooke McKee lofted a cross into the 6-yard box that met a leaping Payton Gruenewald, who sent a header past South Carolina goalkeeper Mikayla Krzeczowski. The goal was the first score allowed in SEC play by the Gamecocks.

In the 33rd minute, Catalina Perez showed her leaping ability by jumping high among a bunch of bodies to snag a USC corner kick, preventing a chance for the Gamecocks.

The Bulldogs denied the Gamecocks again in the 41st minute when Courtney Robicheaux blocked a lined shot off the foot of Luciana Zullo.

The Gamecocks tied it up in the 50th minute when Grace Fisk gathered a loose ball in the box and shot it into the lower left corner of the net.

Perez tallied her second save of the night on a spectacular diving save on a strike from Lauren Chang in the 53rd minute.

State reclaimed the lead in the 81st minute on Brooke McKee's fifth goal of the year—a header right in front of the net off assists from Kiley Martens and Carly Mauldin.

The Gamecocks tied it back up in the 82nd minute when Zullo netted a rebound off of Savannah McCaskill's header that hit the crossbar.

South Carolina scored the golden goal in the 95th minute on Zullo's second goal of the night—this one on a line from the top of the box.

Next Up For MSU…

State will return to the friendly confines of the MSU Soccer Field on Sunday to take on the Kentucky Wildcats. Sunday's contest will be MSU's annual Breast Cancer Awareness game, in which the Bulldogs will wear special pink uniforms.

"I am hoping that our players have an urgency about them on Sunday, because we are good when we play with urgency," Anagnost said.

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