Mississippi State Soccer Faces Top-10 Tennessee on the Road

Mississippi State women’s soccer will face No. 9 Tennessee on the road Thursday night in an SEC showdown. The match is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. CT and will be broadcast live on ESPNU, marking the latest kickoff of the Bulldogs’ season.

Both teams are tied for fifth in the SEC standings with four points each. Tennessee has yet to play a conference home match. The Lady Vols boast the second-best goals-against average in the league, according to sources.

Mississippi State enters the game with a strong recent record against ranked opponents, winning four of its last five matches against top-10 teams over the past two seasons. The Bulldogs have defeated Tennessee twice in program history and have not lost or tied to the Lady Vols since 2019.

Hailey Johnson leads MSU offensively, with five goals, three assists, and 13 points. Kati Anne Shepherd and Laila Murillo are also key contributors, with Shepherd having scored four goals and Murillo five. Both are close behind Johnson in points and assists, according to team stats.

Tennessee, coached by Joe Kirt in his fifth season, holds a 6-0-2 record overall and is 1-0-1 in SEC play. The Lady Vols have scored first in every match this season and are unbeaten in their meetings with Mississippi State for the second consecutive year. The teams are tied in the SEC standings after each earning a win and a draw in league play.

Following Thursday’s game, Mississippi State will travel to Kentucky for a noon kickoff Sunday on SEC Network+. The Bulldogs’ next home game is not scheduled until later in the season, according to team schedules.

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