SFA Suffers First Loss of 2018 in 3-0 Setback to Mississippi State

Sunday, August 19

Nacogdoches, Texas

7:00 PM

Stephen F. Austin

1-1-0

Mississippi State

2-0-0

Miss. State

Stephen F. Austin

SFA Suffers First Loss of 2018 in 3-0 Setback to Mississippi State

8/19/2018 8:52:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Ladyjacks outshot 20-9 in home loss

By: SFA Athletics

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - In its first home fixture against an SEC adversary since 2013, the Stephen F. Austin women's soccer team dropped a 3-0 decision to Mississippi State Sunday night at the SFA Soccer Field. The loss evens SFA's record at 1-1 on the young season heading into a short week road tilt at TCU on Thursday.

"I think our competitive intensity tonight was tremendous", said SFA head coach Wally Crittenden. "The focus, the attitude, there's no doubt our players came out with a high energy and what we thought was a good gameplan, creating matchups that were in our favor. What we saw tonight was the importance of and the difference that set pieces make in a high-level game, so to give up three goals off of set pieces tonight, including that first one off a long throw and it hits the crossbar and just happens to be the first throw-in of the game, that's a tough break. But certainly the way we responded and competed, we hit the post twice, had two or three point-blank sitters [in front of goal] that I thoguht we could execute and turnover, and it could've been a very different game if we had. Certainly proud of the fight, the dedication to our gameplan and commitment, and certainly we see the importance of and will dedicate more time to set pieces as well."

All three Bulldog goals came off set pieces, as MaKayla Waldner scored the first of her two goals for the Bulldogs in the opening minute of the game by punching in a rebound off of the crossbar, which was started with a long throw-in. Mississippi State tacked on a second goal in the opening half in the 31st minute, as Waldner headed in a service from a corner kick. The Bulldogs struck again early in the second frame, as Brooke McKee headed in another ball off a corner kick to provide the final margin.

For their part, the 'Jacks did not lay down after conceding early, and nearly tied the game up on a shot from Mari Gillespie in the 10th minute of play. Gillespie had taken the crack at goal off a free kick, and while the shot was out of range of Bulldogs keeper Rhylee DeCrane, it range off the crossbar and away from danger to keep the margin intact. Minutes later, a corner kick earned by the Ladyjacks yielded two point-blank shots in front of goal, both of which were blocked by Bulldog defenders, and SFA was denied yet again.

Waldner's second strike in the 31st minute would send Mississippi State into the break with a two-goal lead, and it didn't improve for SFA early into the second stanza, as McKee's goal in the 52nd minute pushed the lead to three. Even still, SFA continued to fight, and a free kick from Sophie Fondren in the 66th minute was well-struck but carried just over the crossbar. The 'Jacks earned another opportunity in the 71st minute, and Fondren's shot was equally well hit and out of DeCrane's reach, only to ring off the framework and stump the 'Jacks yet again.

"I liked our commitment to our style of play", said Crittenden. We did a better job connecting more passes, we have metrics that showed that we did well on that. We were more in line with how we wanted to possess the ball and keep the ball, certainly in the first half. In the second half we got stretched a little more as we chased the game, but that's going to happen when you try to chase and press. Are we where we want to be right now? No, but are we okay? Sure, there's some moments we can build on and appreciate moments in big games to score and turnover and execute."

SFA was outshot 20-9 in the match by the Bulldogs, who put 11 shots on the Ladyjacks' frame. SFA had several shots blocked and two hits off the framework, along with one shot on goal. Junior Allyson Halliday allowed three goals in the 90-minute match, but made eight saves and had several other important clearances and collections to limit the damage.

Next up for the Ladyjacks is the weekday matchup with the Horned Frogs on Thursday, a team that earned a favorable result at SFA Soccer Field last season and will be an important match for SFA as they look to rebound.

Crittenden on what the matchup with an SEC opponent at home means:
"It shows the respect that our program and athletic department has across the country", added Crittenden. " Mississippi State came in here expecting a great game in a tough place to play, and I think they got that. If a couple different moments break our way its an even tighter game. The reason they come here is that from an RPI standpoint, from an expectation standpoint, they expect us to do good things as we move through the year, and I have high confidence that we'll do that, so it shows great respect that our program and our department as a whole have."

-SFA-