Mississippi State Defeats Alabama Soccer 2-1

Sunday, October 9

Starkville, Miss.

Alabama

6-5-2, 0-4-2SEC

Mississippi State

2-8-3, 1-5-0SEC

Mississippi State

Mississippi State Defeats Alabama Soccer 2-1

10/9/2005 12:00:00 AM | Soccer

Box Score

Sunday, October 09, 2005

Kylie Boyd

Box Score

STARKVILLE, MISS. -- Alabama (6-5-2, 0-4-2 SEC) soccer suffered its first ever loss in Starkville, Miss. Sunday, losing 2-1 to Mississippi State. The Bulldog's Jessica Davis scored in the 69th minute to give MSU the victory.

Davis scored the game-winner for MSU (2-8-3, 1-5 SEC) just 4:56 after Alabama's Kylie Boyd tied the game 1-1. It was Davis' first goal of the season and Betty Ann Casey was credited with the assist.

"Today's loss wasn't due to a lack of effort," Alabama head coach Don Staley said. "In fact, I was pleased with the way we competed. However, today was an indication of how mistakes can cost us."

UA's Boyd evened the score at 65:32 after a number of shots from Alabama were saved by MSU keeper Emily Meyers. Libby Probst connected with Boyd to create a one-on-one breakaway and Boyd was able to finish. Meyers finished the afternoon with 10 saves.

Mississippi State's Bethany Frasier put the Bulldogs on top at 9:02 when she scored off a direct kick. Alabama's Leigh Alexander was called for a foul and Frasier took the kick from 30 yards out on the far right wing. But momentum began to swing in Alabama's favor late in the first half.

In the 35th minute, Kylie Boyd and Gillian Kilburn fired back-to-back shots but Meyers made the save on each shot. In the 39th minute Alabama managed two more shots off a corner kick, but Cally Morrill's header went high and Natalie Holovach's header was again saved by Meyers.

The Tide's momentum carried over into the early stages of the second half as well where Alabama managed three corner kicks and two shots in the first five minutes, but couldn't sneak one past Meyers until Boyd's breakaway. Alabama did appear to have tied the game off a corner kick in the early minutes of the second half. The ball deflected off a group of Alabama players over the line and was then cleared out by MSU defenders, however, the goal wasn't granted to Alabama.

"We had numerous opportunities but it wasn't reflected on the scoreboard. This team will live to fight another day. With this loss we've definitely dug ourselves a pretty big hole and now we have to find a way to climb out of it."

Alabama out-shot the Bulldogs 21-17 in the game and 11-6 in the second half. The Tide also managed 12 corner kicks in the game to MSU's one, but was never able to convert one of its 12 corner kicks into a goal.

Alabama will return home to host LSU and Arkansas next weekend at the UA Soccer Complex. Friday's match with LSU will begin at 7 p.m. and Sunday's match will get under way at 1 p.m.