Mississippi State Hosts No. 11 South Carolina in Key SEC Soccer Match
STARKVILLE, Miss. — Mississippi State will host No. 11 South Carolina on Friday night in a nationally televised SEC matchup at 6 p.m. CT on ESPNU. The game marks the start of a three-match homestand for the Bulldogs, who are looking to build on their recent strong performances.
The Bulldogs (7-1-3, 1-0-3 SEC) are coming off a scoreless draw against ninth-ranked Tennessee and have won or tied five of their last six matches against top-10 teams, according to school officials. The matchup features two of the SEC’s top defensive units. South Carolina boasts the second-lowest expected goals against in the league, allowing only 3.2 per game through four conference contests. The Gamecocks have also surrendered just one goal all season, tied for the league lead.
Mississippi State’s defensive record is also notable, with an expected goals against of 5.4, ranking fifth in the SEC. The Bulldogs have allowed only three goals in league play. The game also features a sibling rivalry as Bulldogs midfielder Ashley Tutas will face her younger sister, Ava, a South Carolina sophomore, for the second time. Ava won last year’s matchup 2-0 while Ashley was at Oklahoma.
MSU’s season has been characterized by its defensive resilience. The Bulldogs have only trailed for 103 minutes and 56 seconds this season, about 10.5 percent of total play. They lead the league in defensive duels per match with 75.38 and win an average of 44.47 duels per game, well above the conference average of 57.43 and 33.31, respectively.
Additionally, Mississippi State averages 4.80 blocked shots per SEC game, which accounts for 43.4 percent of opponents’ shots. Tutas and Kara Harris are tied for fourth in the league, blocking 1.46 shots per 90 minutes. The Bulldogs have used only 16 players during SEC contests, the fewest in the conference, with all substitutes combining for just 8.2 percent of total minutes played.
South Carolina (10-1-0, 4-0-0 SEC) is ranked 11th nationally by both the Intercollegiate Women’s Soccer Coaches Association and Top Drawer Soccer. The Gamecocks have posted seven shutouts in 11 matches and have won nine straight, the longest active winning streak in the country. Head coach Shelley Smith, in her 26th season at South Carolina, has a career record of 378-181-74.
Reagan Schubach, the reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Week, helped South Carolina hold Kentucky and Missouri to just four shots on goal combined last week. Notably, Ava Tutas leads the team with 10 points and four goals. Goalkeeper Christina Tsaousis has not allowed a goal in 222 minutes and 18 seconds across four SEC matches.
Mississippi State will host Texas A&M on Friday, Oct. 9, with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m. CT on SEC Network+. Fans can follow the Bulldogs on X, Facebook, and Instagram under “HailStateSOC.”
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