Mississippi State Shuts Out No. 20 Kentucky in Starkville
STARKVILLE, Miss. – The No. 20 University of Kentucky women’s soccer team lost to Mississippi State for the first time since 2009 on Sunday night, dropping a 3-0 decision to the Bulldogs at the MSU Soccer Field.
With the loss, UK falls to 9-3-3 overall and moves to 3-2-2 in Southeastern Conference play.
Mississippi State took the lead in the 34th minute as Red Bruffett broke the deadlock after the Bulldogs were able to counter off a stopped Kentucky attack and run the other way. The ball got wide to Mallory Eubanks who then slotted a ball across the penalty spot where Bruffett was waiting and beat Katelyn Jensen to her right for the 1-0 lead.
The first half ended with a total of five shots and just one shot on goal. MSU held a 3-2 lead in shots, and with the goal, possessed the match’s only shot on goal. UK was able to generate four corner kicks in the opening 45 minutes, but unable to record a shot in those sequences.
In the 60th minute, Zoe Swift was taken down in the box, earning a penalty kick for the Wildcats with a chance to equalize. The kick missed the net to the right, and just 10 minutes later, Mississippi State would double its lead to 2-0 off a corner kick. The inswinger from the left side was put away by Bruffett via a header to the near post and made it 2-0.
MSU added another goal off a counter attack in
the 83rd minute to make it 3-0.
Kentucky returns to action on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. ET as the Wildcats host nationally-ranked Texas A&M on the SEC Network+ in a rematch of the 2014 Southeastern Conference Tournament Championship match.
For the latest on the Kentucky women’s soccer team, follow @UKWomensSoccer on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, as well as on the web at UKathletics.com.
