Mississippi State Bulldogs Make History: In their final SEC home match, Mississippi State (9-3-4, 4-2-2 SEC) showcased a defensive masterpiece against Vanderbilt (8-4-4, 3-4-1 SEC). The Bulldogs, under the Starkville lights, engaged in a hard-fought battle resulting in a historic 0-0 draw, extending their unbeaten SEC streak to five.
The defensive dominance of Mississippi State was evident as they held Vanderbilt to just six shots, with Maddy Anderson making three crucial saves. The Bulldogs allowed only one corner kick throughout the night, showcasing their defensive resilience. This marked the fourth consecutive shutout for the Bulldog defense, securing their ninth clean sheet overall. Notably, it was the first 0-0 draw in the history of the matchup, breaking the trend of previous encounters with a clear victor.
Maddy Anderson, standing tall in goal for State, achieved her 24th career shutout, now leading the SEC in shutouts. Anderson also ranks in the top five in key SEC statistical categories, including third in goals allowed average (GAA) with 0.50 and in save percentage (.811). Defensively, the Bulldogs are allowing a mere 7.3 shots per game.
October has been a historic month for the Bulldogs, starting with a groundbreaking win in Gainesville, followed by retaining the Magnolia Cup against Ole Miss and securing another victory over a top-20 opponent on the road against Kentucky. The draw against Vanderbilt maintains the Bulldogs’ unbeaten status in the last month of the regular season.
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Currently holding the second-longest unbeaten streak in the SEC, with 3-0-2 in their last five contests, Mississippi State has climbed to 16th in the RPI rankings. They stand among the Top-20 in the RPI, an accomplishment shared by only four SEC squads this week.
The match also set a season attendance record, with 1,023 fans present, breaking the previous record set in 2017. A total of 9,034 Bulldogs witnessed the action at the MSU Soccer Field this season.
Looking ahead, the 9-3-4 Bulldogs will face the Crimson Tide of Alabama on the road, with the match scheduled for a 6 PM CT kick, streamed on SEC Network + for those unable to attend the cross-state matchup.