Mississippi State
3-1-0, 0-0-0
Wake Forest
3-0-1, 0-0-0
No. 20 State Soccer Falls In Tough ACC/SEC Battle
August 25, 2024 | Soccer
Winston-Salem, N.C. – State soccer faced its first setback of the 2024 season, falling 2-1 on the road against a veteran Wake Forest side at Spry Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Wake Forest got on the board early, as Abbie Colton netted her first goal of the season just two minutes into the match, assisted by Emily Morris. The early goal set the tone, forcing the Dawgs to fight from an unfamiliar position thus far in 2024. Despite conceding early, the Bulldogs responded with resilience. In the 6th minute, Ilana Izquierdo had a shot that narrowly missed, followed by another effort from Aitana Martinez-Montoya in the 10th minute that was saved by Wake Forest's goalkeeper, Payton Cahill.
State's persistence paid off in the 41st minute when freshman Kara Harris scored her first collegiate goal, equalizing the match at 1-1. Harris capitalized on a well-placed ball from Chelsea Wagner, who recorded her first assist as a Bulldog. The Dawgs and Deacs went into the break deadlocked at 1-1.
The second half was marked by intense play from both sides, with Wake Forest applying consistent pressure. Mississippi State goalkeeper Maddy Anderson was kept busy, making a total of eight saves in the match. However, in the 84th minute, Wake Forest broke through when Nikayla Small scored her first goal of the season, putting the Demon Deacons ahead 2-1. Despite a late push from the Bulldogs, they were unable to find another equalizer.
While unranked, Wake is currently recieving votes in the polls and is poised for another successful season. The Demon Deacons, who have now entended their unbeaten streak at home to 11 games, have been exceptional at Spry Stadium. Since the start of the 2022 season, Wake Forest has posted an impressive 13-2-5 record at home, including an undefeated season in 2023. Sunday's contest was the first meeting between State and Wake.
State managed eight shots throughout the match, with four on target. The physicality of the match was evident, with both sides combining for 25 fouls.
All eight of Mississippi State's goals in 2024 have come from different players, further highlighting the game changers on and off the pitch.
State will return to the pitch on Thursday for senior night when they take on Tennessee Tech at 6:30 p.m.
Match Summary:
- Final Score: Mississippi State 1, Wake Forest 2
- Goals:
- WFU: Abbie Colton (2:00), assisted by Emily Morris
- MSU: Kara Harris (41:13), assisted by Chelsea Wagner
- WFU: Nikayla Small (84:07)
- Location: Spry Stadium, Winston-Salem, N.C.
- Attendance: 933
- Shots: MSU 8 (4 SOG), WFU 18 (10 SOG)
- Saves: MSU 8, WFU 3
- Corner Kicks: MSU 2, WFU 10
- Fouls: MSU 13, WFU 12
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."
– HailState.com –
Team Stats
Abbie Colton (1)
Assisted By: Emily Morris
GOAL by WFU Colton, Abbie Assist by Morris, Emily.
02:00
Kara Harris (1)
Assisted By: Chelsea Wagner
GOAL by MSU Harris, Kara Assist by Wagner, Chelsea.
41:13
Nikayla Small (1)
GOAL by WFU Small, Nikayla.
84:07
