Ninety minutes just isn’t enough for the LSU soccer team.
The Tigers (6-3-2, 2-0-1 Southeastern Conference) pushed their streak of consecutive overtime games to three Sunday with a 3-2, double-overtime win against Mississippi State at the LSU Soccer Stadium. The victory came in the wake of a 1-1, double-overtime draw against Tennessee on Friday night and a 2-1 overtime win at Vanderbilt two weeks ago.
“It’s a really good start to the SEC season,” said LSU coach Brian Lee. “Sundays in the SEC are such a grind, and the fatigue factor is a real talent-equalizer. Mississippi State fought really hard, and we’re just thankful to get the win.”
The Bulldogs (3-7, 0-3 SEC) struck early as senior forward Elisabeth Sullivan beat LSU senior goalkeeper Megan Kinneman in the 3rd minute to score her tenth goal of the season. Minutes later, Sullivan and Kinneman collided when Sullivan made a run into the box, resulting in a yellow card for Kinneman and a penalty kick for Mississippi State.
Kinneman said she disagreed with the foul called on her, but that it was something she couldn’t control. Sullivan nailed the penalty kick with ease to put the Bulldogs up 2-0 early in the contest.
“Sometimes you get down early and you just have to fight back,” Kinneman said. “But we just had to pick up the energy a little bit and be sharper with our passes and movement off the ball.”
LSU responded quickly when freshman forward Summer Clarke capitalized on a well-placed through ball from freshman defender Megan Lee to put the score at 2-1 in the 10th minute.
The pace of the game slowed following Clarke’s goal, but senior defender Nina Anderson scored the equalizer for the Tigers on a shot just outside the left side of the box in the waning minutes of the first half. The goal was Anderson’s first of the year, and Clarke made her second assist of the season on the play.
The Tigers controlled possession for most of the second half, but never broke through in regulation. Brian Lee credited Mississippi State freshman goalkeeper Meara Johnson for keeping LSU at bay during regulation.
But Brian Lee acknowledged that the Tigers missed several chances to score in the second half.
LSU continued the offensive assault into the first overtime period but failed to convert on three shots. In the 102nd minute, though, Megan Lee clinched the game on her first LSU goal.
“It was a good, slick pass from [freshman midfielder] Emma Fletcher, and I got a good turn on it,” she said after the game. “I kind of wished it was a better shot because you always want those ones that you drive to the top corner, but I’ll take the slow roller across the line.”
The Tigers ended the day with 20 total shots and seven shots on goal. The Tigers held a 12-1 advantage in corner kicks against the Bulldogs.
The victory puts LSU near the top of the SEC standings two weeks into conference play.
The Tigers will return to action Friday night when they travel to Fayetteville, Ark., for a match against Arkansas.

Gallery • 4 Photos

Charles Champagne

LSU midfield senior Alex Ramsey runs up the field Sunday, Sept. 29, 2013 against Mississippi State during the tigers 3-2 victory.