Thursday, October 26
Fayetteville, Ark.
6:30 p.m.
Mississippi State
at
#10 Arkansas
Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
No. 21 Bulldogs Set to Battle No. 10 Razorbacks in the Regular Season Finale
October 25, 2023 | Soccer
Fayetteville, Ark. – No. 21 Mississippi State (10-3-4, 5-2-2 SEC) is set to for the conclusion of the regular season when they face No.10 Arkansas (11-3-4, 7-1-1 SEC) on Thursday in Fayetteville. The Bulldogs and Razorbacks will come into the matchup as two of the best in the Southeastern Conference and will be a treat for fans of women's collegiate soccer everywhere.
Last time on the pitch, the Bulldogs picked up a historic three points in Tuscaloosa as they were able to tame the No.16 Crimson Tide at home, 2-0. Before Sunday night, Alabama had secured 28 straight results at home, including a stretch of 22 straight wins. The win marked backed-to-back ranked wins versus ranked opponents for the first time in program history and just the third ranked win on the road for State.
The Bulldogs have had a remarkable October, making history for the State. It all kicked off with a road trip to Gainesville, where MSU achieved its first-ever victory in the Swamp, winning 1-0. Just three days later, in front of the second-largest crowd in program history, State clinched the Magnolia Cup from Ole Miss for the fourth consecutive season. One week later, the Bulldogs returned to the field for a match against the undefeated and 18th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats in Lexington. State notched another impressive win, securing their second road victory in program history over a top-20 opponent, with a final score of 2-0. Their victory in Lexington earned them the title of NCAA Women's Soccer Team of the Week. Their unbeaten streak continued with a 0-0 draw against Vanderbilt before finishing off another week strong by defeating No. 16 Alabama on the road, bringing their October record to 4-0-1.
This week, Maddy Anderson earned the SEC Defensive Player of the Week award for the second time this season. She achieved this recognition following a series of outstanding performances in October, including five consecutive shutout victories in challenging matches. Anderson leads the SEC in shutouts this season with nine clean sheets. Anderson's remarkable ability to deliver shutouts, even against ranked opponents on the road, sets her recent streak apart, including a victory over No. 18 Kentucky and a dominant performance against No. 16 Alabama, both of whom failed to score against her resilient goalkeeping.
In terms of rankings, the Dawgs secured a spot in the prestigious Top-25 of the United Soccer Coaches Poll this week. The No. 21 mark matches the highest United Soccer Ranking in program history as State achieved the ranking in 2022. In RPI, State is now 16th and is currently ranked 15th in the NCAA Committee Poll.
On the other side of the pitch, the No. 10 Razorbacks clinched a share of the SEC Championship on Sunday when they defeated Ole Miss 5-1. This marked the fourth SEC title for the Hogs in the last five seasons. The Hogs currently carry a 30-match home unbeaten streak, which dates back to 2021, a stretch of 28-0-2. Â On the offensive front, Arkansas is dominating the conference in numerous areas, boasting the highest number of goals (43) and total points (123). The an impressive average of 2.69 goals per game, and an average of 2.31 assists per game.
Mississippi State and Arkansas are slated for a 6:30 PM CT kick and will be streamed on SEC Network +.
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."
Â
Last time on the pitch, the Bulldogs picked up a historic three points in Tuscaloosa as they were able to tame the No.16 Crimson Tide at home, 2-0. Before Sunday night, Alabama had secured 28 straight results at home, including a stretch of 22 straight wins. The win marked backed-to-back ranked wins versus ranked opponents for the first time in program history and just the third ranked win on the road for State.
The Bulldogs have had a remarkable October, making history for the State. It all kicked off with a road trip to Gainesville, where MSU achieved its first-ever victory in the Swamp, winning 1-0. Just three days later, in front of the second-largest crowd in program history, State clinched the Magnolia Cup from Ole Miss for the fourth consecutive season. One week later, the Bulldogs returned to the field for a match against the undefeated and 18th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats in Lexington. State notched another impressive win, securing their second road victory in program history over a top-20 opponent, with a final score of 2-0. Their victory in Lexington earned them the title of NCAA Women's Soccer Team of the Week. Their unbeaten streak continued with a 0-0 draw against Vanderbilt before finishing off another week strong by defeating No. 16 Alabama on the road, bringing their October record to 4-0-1.
This week, Maddy Anderson earned the SEC Defensive Player of the Week award for the second time this season. She achieved this recognition following a series of outstanding performances in October, including five consecutive shutout victories in challenging matches. Anderson leads the SEC in shutouts this season with nine clean sheets. Anderson's remarkable ability to deliver shutouts, even against ranked opponents on the road, sets her recent streak apart, including a victory over No. 18 Kentucky and a dominant performance against No. 16 Alabama, both of whom failed to score against her resilient goalkeeping.
In terms of rankings, the Dawgs secured a spot in the prestigious Top-25 of the United Soccer Coaches Poll this week. The No. 21 mark matches the highest United Soccer Ranking in program history as State achieved the ranking in 2022. In RPI, State is now 16th and is currently ranked 15th in the NCAA Committee Poll.
On the other side of the pitch, the No. 10 Razorbacks clinched a share of the SEC Championship on Sunday when they defeated Ole Miss 5-1. This marked the fourth SEC title for the Hogs in the last five seasons. The Hogs currently carry a 30-match home unbeaten streak, which dates back to 2021, a stretch of 28-0-2. Â On the offensive front, Arkansas is dominating the conference in numerous areas, boasting the highest number of goals (43) and total points (123). The an impressive average of 2.69 goals per game, and an average of 2.31 assists per game.
Mississippi State and Arkansas are slated for a 6:30 PM CT kick and will be streamed on SEC Network +.
Â
– HailState.com –
Players Mentioned
GK
/ SoccerSOCCER | Nick Zimmerman and Players Press Conference vs Tennessee
Friday, September 12
SOCCER | Nick Zimmerman and Players Media Session
Wednesday, September 10
SOCCER | Nick Zimmerman and Players Press Conference vs Louisiana Tech
Thursday, September 04
SOCCER | Highlights vs. Louisiana Tech
Thursday, September 04