Mississippi State soccer extends in-state winning streak with 4-0 victory over Southern Miss

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Mississippi State soccer defeated Southern Miss 4-0 Sunday evening, extending their winning streak against teams from the state of Mississippi to eight games, according to school officials.

Two goals each from Laila Murillo and Kati Anne Shepherd powered the Bulldogs (3-0-0). Shepherd also contributed an assist, marking the first five-point game by a Bulldog freshman since Annebel ten Broeke in 2013.

Head coach Kevin O’Brien praised the team’s offensive performance. “It is a good thing when you have multiple players scoring multiple goals in multiple games,” he said. “They are playing at a high level in training, and it’s translating to the field. We give them freedom in the final third to take risks, and it’s paying off. It’s a coach’s dream scenario.”

Mississippi State applied early pressure, which led to the opening goal. Murillo recovered a ball outside the 18-yard box, then launched a shot that hit the crossbar and went in. Shepherd’s goal came late in the first half after a Bulldog free kick deflected off a Southern Miss player, with Elsa Johnson assisting on the rebound.

The Bulldogs outshot the Golden Eagles 10-2 in the first half, with four shots on goal. Despite a shift in momentum after halftime, Shepherd scored again in the 66th minute, dribbling into the box and scoring from a sharp angle. Murillo added a header from Shepherd’s corner kick in the 72nd minute to seal the win.

Mississippi State remains at home next week, hosting Oklahoma State on Thursday at 6 p.m. CT and Alcorn State on Sunday. The team continues its early-season schedule with hopes of maintaining their winning streak.

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