Mississippi State shuts out A&M as Aggies drop second consecutive SEC match
Texas A&M soccer suffered its third loss of the season to Mississippi State at Ellis Field on Thursday night, 1-0.
For the Aggies, it was a failed attempt to bounce back after last week's loss against Georgia.
“We played hard, but Mississippi State came in and played their game, with some fantastic athletes all across the field,'' A&M head coach G Guerrieri said. “There were a lot of great moments, but it would break down in the critical points, in the last six yards, and that is where the game is going to be won or going to be lost, and today it was lost again.”
In the 11th minute, sophomore forward MaKhiya McDonald attempted to get the Aggies going offensively with a shot that fell out top.
Senior goalkeeper Kenna Caldwell saved a bottom center shot on goal by Bulldogs’ graduate midfielder Alyssa D’Aloise in the 19th minute.
The Bulldogs answered with two saves of their own by junior goalkeeper Maddy Anderson, in the 22nd and 23rd-minute marks. The scoring attempts for A&M were both bottom-center shots made by sophomores Carissa Boeckmann and Mia Pante, respectively.
McDonald opened the second half with a shot out top in the 50th minute, but Anderson saved the attempt for the Bulldogs.
An own goal for Mississippi State eventually broke the scoring drought in the 52nd minute. Graduate defender Karlina Sample gave the point up for the Maroon & White to put the Bulldogs in the lead.
In the 68th minute, junior midfielder Kate Colvin made a 15-yard bottom center kick that was saved by Anderson. She ultimately collected seven saves throughout the game to help the Bulldogs edge out the Aggies.
The Aggies outshot Mississippi 14-9 but could not score a single goal, giving their opponent the game with a final score of 1-0.
“We have had opportunities to win, this is the second time that we have outshot our opponent,” Pante said. “We aren’t putting the ball in the back of the net, and you can play the best soccer in the world, but if you don’t score, you don’t win.”
Next up for the Aggies is a road match against No. 6 Alabama on Sunday at 6:00 p.m. CT.