State Finishes Regular Season Undefeated On The Road

Sunday, October 25

Baton Rouge, La.

2 p.m.

Mississippi State

8-2-6, 2-1-6

LSU

4-9-4, 2-4-3

Team	1	2	Final F
Mississippi St.	0	0	0
LSU	0	0	0

Box Score (PDF)

STARKVILLE, MS - August 27, 2026 - Mississippi State Goal Keeper Jenny Harrison (#0) during the match between the Oklahoma State Cowgirls and the Mississippi State Bulldogs at the MSU Soccer Field in Starkville, MS. Photo By Mike Mattina

Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics

October 25, 2026 | Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

By: Brian Ogden, Director/Communications

BATON ROUGE, La. – Mississippi State recorded its sixth draw of the season with a 0-0 tie at LSU on Sunday. With the result, the Bulldogs have finished the regular season unbeaten on the road for the first time in program history.

The match saw a combined 35 shots between the two teams, but only nine landed on frame. Elsa Johnson led the way for MSU with five shots, including three of the team's four shots on goal.

"She was great. we played her as a as a striker versus a winger where she could run in behind, and man, she wreaked havoc and was really, really hard to handle," head coach Kevin O'Brien said. "I loved it. It was kind of something we were experimenting with, and I think it paid off."

It was a game of near misses for the Bulldogs (8-2-6, 2-1-6 SEC). Late in the second half, a backheel pass from Reese Black sprung Johnson in the box, but her shot was saved for one of State's seven corners on the day.

Johnson got free again in the 49th minute on a breakaway, but her shot was wide after sidestepping the oncoming keeper. In the 56th minute, Kara Harris's shot ricocheted off the crossbar. Harris found Johnson with a through ball in the 60th minute, but it was again wide.

Within the first 15 minutes of the second half, State fired off five shots with three high-danger chances. Later in the half, Kyli Switalski struck the post in the 74th minute. With time winding down, Hailey Johnson had a breakaway opportunity and beat the keeper from the top of the box, but the slow rolling ball stayed less than a foot outside of the left post.

"I think we've been lacking a little punch in the attacking third, and I think we found it today," head coach Kevin O'Brien said. "We made a shape change, and that really was beneficial for our group. Not only were we solid defensively, but we created some great chances. We hit the woodwork three times, their keeper made saves, and we just missed a couple close ones, so a very different feeling nil-nil draw than some of our others. I just think way more positive, way more encouraging."

Defensively, MSU allowed just five shots on goal, and Jenny Harrison made three saves. Switalski picked up a pair of defensive saves in quick succession in the 62nd minute after stopping a pair of shots on the same corner kick.

The Bulldogs return home for the final match of the regular season next week. State will host No. 7/13 Alabama at the MSU Soccer Field on Sunday, Nov. 1 with kickoff slated for noon CT on SEC Network+.

MSU is currently tied for eighth in the league standings and would be the No. 9 seed in the SEC Tournament thanks to tiebreakers. With a win on the final day of the regular season, the Bulldogs could climb as high as a tie for sixth place with the right results around the conference after being picked to finish 14th in the SEC Preseason Coaches' Poll.

For more information on the Bulldog soccer program, follow on X, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSOC."