Bulldogs Shut Out High-Scoring Wildcat Offense

Sunday, September 27

Lexington, Ky.

12 p.m.

Mississippi State

7-1-3, 1-0-3

Kentucky

6-4-1, 2-1-1

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

Box Score (PDF)

STARKVILLE, MS - August 23, 2026 - Mississippi State Defender Chiara Tappe (#24), Mississippi State Defender/Midfielder Ashley Tutas (#23) and Mississippi State Midfielder Kara Harris (#4) during the match between the Southern Miss Golden Eagles and the Mississippi State Bulldogs at the MSU Soccer Field in Starkville, MS. Photo By Mike Mattina

Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics

Bulldogs Shut Out High-Scoring Wildcat Offense

September 27, 2026 | Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

By: Brian Ogden, Director/Communications

LEXINGTON, Ky. – On a very short turnaround, Mississippi State produced a second outstanding defensive effort on the road on Sunday afternoon. Less than 72 hours after fighting to a scoreless draw at No. 6 Tennessee, the Bulldogs played to a 0-0 tie at Kentucky on Sunday.

Jenny Harrison's fourth shutout of the season saw her make five saves. Kentucky fired off 13 shots, but the Bulldogs (7-1-3, 1-0-3 SEC) blocked four and forced three off target. The Wildcats entered the match ranked seventh nationally in goals per game and had put more than 50 percent of their shots on frame.

"As a staff, we're really, really proud," head coach Kevin O'Brien said. "It's a long road weekend, five days on the road, two SEC games, two shutouts. I'm really proud of the group. I think the players are a little disappointed because I know they wanted more out of it – as we all did – but for me, the fact that we're a little bit of a thinner squad, we don't have as big a rotations as a lot of teams that we're competing against, I'm just incredibly impressed with how we dig deep, battle and fight and scrap and lay it on the line for the results."

State's best scoring chances came early in the day. In the 11th minute, Kyli Switalski's free kick from just outside the box was saved up off the crossbar. Hailey Johnson found herself one-on-one with the keeper in the 21st minute, but Kentucky's goalkeeper was up to the task.

Switalski led the team with three shots in the match, and Johnson had a pair. Four others took at least one.

Not noticed on the box score were the defensive efforts of Chiara Tappe. She made multiple slide tackles chasing back to her own net to disrupt would-be breakaway opportunities for Kentucky. Kara Harris stood out for her shot blocking in the match, and Harrison made a highlight-reel save of her own in the 58th minute to push a header over the crossbar.

"Kara Harris, I thought, just was really solid in there and kind of broke up plays and kept it simple," O'Brien added. "I thought Jenny had a good game. If I was giving the Big Dawg to the best player, I would have given it to Jenny for the best performance on the day. She didn't get tested a bunch, but she was really solid and there were a lot of set pieces."

Mississippi State has earned points in every conference match this season and now returns home for a three-match homestand. The Bulldogs will host No. 17/21 South Carolina, who defeated Kentucky earlier this week, at 6 p.m. CT on Friday, Oct. 2. That match will air nationally on ESPNU.

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