Thursday, September 19
Starkville
7:00 PM
Mississippi State
vs
#15 Texas A&M
Bulldogs Open SEC Play with No. 15/13 Texas A&M on Thursday
September 18, 2019 | Soccer
by Brian Ogden, Assistant Coordinator/Communications
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State soccer will look to make history when the Bulldogs open conference play on Thursday against No. 15/13 Texas A&M at 7 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.
The Aggies are the only SEC team that MSU has never beaten. State is also looking to start league play with a win for just the third time in program history and the first time since 2002 when the Bulldogs defeated Arkansas, 3-0.
"Texas A&M is one of the most-established programs in the country," head coach James Armstrong said. "In the preseason SEC coaches' poll, they were predicted to finish first. They're always going to be a formidable opponent, but one that we're looking forward to playing. We feel like we can play really hard on our home field in front of our fans, and we're excited about it. You've got to play them, so why not open up with them?"
Fans in attendance will receive free pizza, and those that bring their cowbells will be entered to win two tickets to Saturday's football game against Kentucky. Additionally, dog bones will be hidden across the Drill Field on Thursday morning that students can redeem for prizes at the evening's match.
The last time a top-25 team visited Starkville, the Bulldogs knocked off then-No. 13/6 South Carolina in double overtime in front of a school-record crowd thanks to a strike from Zakirah McGillivary. McGillivary scored a third of State's goals in conference play last year, including each of the Bulldog's game-winners against SEC opponents.
MSU's defense is currently holding opponents to just 10 shots per game this year, a pace that would be a school record, while averaging just 3.8 fouls per game over the last four matches. The back line will be put to the test against the Aggies, however.
Texas A&M has fired 137 shots this year, which ranks fourth in the SEC. The Aggies have put 42.3 percent of those attempts on frame and average 2.00 goals per game, but a common opponent managed to shut them down.
Both teams have lost to undefeated No. 7/7 BYU this year, but the Bulldogs remain the only team to have scored against the Cougars in 2019. State's only losses this year have come to ranked teams, and those teams have just one loss combined between them.
MSU is off on Sunday but returns to action next week for the 25th installment of the Magnolia Cup against Ole Miss. The Bulldogs and Rebels will kick off on SEC Network at 6 p.m. CT on Thursday, Sept. 26.
Location: Starkville, Mississippi
Time: Thursday 7 p.m. CT
Broadcast: SEC Network+ (PxP – Anthony Craven; Analyst – Chris Nasuti)
At MSU: 0-4-0
At TAMU: 0-3-0
Neutral Sites: 0-0-0
Last Meeting: Oct. 12, 2018 (MSU 1 at TAMU 2)
For more information on the Bulldog soccer program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching for "HailStateSOC."
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State soccer will look to make history when the Bulldogs open conference play on Thursday against No. 15/13 Texas A&M at 7 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.
The Aggies are the only SEC team that MSU has never beaten. State is also looking to start league play with a win for just the third time in program history and the first time since 2002 when the Bulldogs defeated Arkansas, 3-0.
"Texas A&M is one of the most-established programs in the country," head coach James Armstrong said. "In the preseason SEC coaches' poll, they were predicted to finish first. They're always going to be a formidable opponent, but one that we're looking forward to playing. We feel like we can play really hard on our home field in front of our fans, and we're excited about it. You've got to play them, so why not open up with them?"
Fans in attendance will receive free pizza, and those that bring their cowbells will be entered to win two tickets to Saturday's football game against Kentucky. Additionally, dog bones will be hidden across the Drill Field on Thursday morning that students can redeem for prizes at the evening's match.
The last time a top-25 team visited Starkville, the Bulldogs knocked off then-No. 13/6 South Carolina in double overtime in front of a school-record crowd thanks to a strike from Zakirah McGillivary. McGillivary scored a third of State's goals in conference play last year, including each of the Bulldog's game-winners against SEC opponents.
MSU's defense is currently holding opponents to just 10 shots per game this year, a pace that would be a school record, while averaging just 3.8 fouls per game over the last four matches. The back line will be put to the test against the Aggies, however.
Texas A&M has fired 137 shots this year, which ranks fourth in the SEC. The Aggies have put 42.3 percent of those attempts on frame and average 2.00 goals per game, but a common opponent managed to shut them down.
Both teams have lost to undefeated No. 7/7 BYU this year, but the Bulldogs remain the only team to have scored against the Cougars in 2019. State's only losses this year have come to ranked teams, and those teams have just one loss combined between them.
MSU is off on Sunday but returns to action next week for the 25th installment of the Magnolia Cup against Ole Miss. The Bulldogs and Rebels will kick off on SEC Network at 6 p.m. CT on Thursday, Sept. 26.
Game Information
Opponent: Texas A&MLocation: Starkville, Mississippi
Time: Thursday 7 p.m. CT
Broadcast: SEC Network+ (PxP – Anthony Craven; Analyst – Chris Nasuti)
Series History
Overall: 0-7-0At MSU: 0-4-0
At TAMU: 0-3-0
Neutral Sites: 0-0-0
Last Meeting: Oct. 12, 2018 (MSU 1 at TAMU 2)
Fast Facts
- MSU picked up 36 fouls on its two-game non-conference road trip, but without those games the Bulldogs would be averaging just 4.1 fouls per game and have the lowest mark in the SEC.
- Zakirah McGillivary led the way in conference play last year, scoring a third of the Bulldogs' goals in SEC matches, including all of their game-winning goals in the league.
- Hailey Farrington-Bentil, Monigo Karnley, Sam Stiglmair and Andrea Tyrrell have all scored their first career goals this year.
- The Bulldogs are holding opponents to just 10.0 shots per game this year, which is lower than last year's school record of 11.5. MSU has held five opponents below their season average this year.
- MSU will once again be one of the youngest teams in the SEC. The Bulldogs enter the season with 13 freshman, which is tied for second in the league with Tennessee. Kentucky leads with 14.
- A win would mark just the third time MSU has started SEC play 1-0-0 and the first since State won, 3-0, against Arkansas in 2002. The only other time the Bulldogs did so came with a 1-0 victory at LSU in 1997. MSU has never beaten a ranked team to open league play.
- State has played 24 players this year with 15 different starters. Six players have started every match. In their first eight matches, the Bulldogs have used seven different starting lineup combinations.
For more information on the Bulldog soccer program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching for "HailStateSOC."
Players Mentioned
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