The LSU Tigers (7-1-2) took on the Mississippi State Bulldogs (7-1-2) on a hot and humid Sunday afternoon in their first home appearance since dropping their first game against Vanderbilt a week ago.
LSU extended their unbeaten streak against the Bulldogs to 16 games after a long and physical game that ended nearly four hours after kickoff due to two lightning delays and two overtimes.
“We didn’t handle the lightning delay very well coming out of that one and probably had chances to put the game away in the first fifteen minutes and we just didn’t play urgency that we really need in these late games,” coach Brian Lee said. “But then when we got down and came back I thought it was a great comeback.”
Junior forward Alex Thomas scored both of the Tigers goals, making her the team’s leading scorer with six on the season so far.
“It’s difficult because you go in there for forty minutes and there’s not too much soccer for us to talk about for forty minutes so minds start drifting,” said Thomas on the weather delays. “So it’s important for us as the leaders of the team to make sure everyone stays focused.”
The Tigers had opportunities early but were unable to capitalize allowing Mississippi State to score first in the 20th minute of the game.
The goal was delivered by MSU’s Mallory Eubanks who entered the top ten list for career points scored in Mississippi State history. She delivered a strike from 15 feet out into the net just out of the reach junior goalkeeper Caroline Brockmeier.
The Tigers struggled to take advantage of corner kicks and free kicks delivering the ball out of play on most attempts during the first half.
After the halftime break, LSU came out firing with Thomas tying the game up in the 49th minute with her fifth goal of the season coming off the assist from senior midfielder Zoe Higgins.
The game got more physical for both teams after only having nine fouls between the two teams in the first half. Three LSU players and a Mississippi State player received yellow cards in the second half. A penalty in the box from Mississippi State allowed Thomas to score her second goal of the game to take the lead with 26 minutes left in the second half.
Shortly following the game’s third goal, a Mississippi State Coach was sent off with a red card after excessive complaining to an official.
The long, physical games can be a test to each team and proved to be a challenge for the Tigers.
“It’s really hard for the freshmen [to stay focused],” Thomas said, “So it’s up to the upperclassmen like me, Jordane [and] Zoe to keep everybody levelheaded and to make sure we stay levelheaded because they feed off of us so if we go a little crazy then they’re going to get worked up too. It’s important for us to be constantly saying, ‘Everybody, it’s fine.’ Keep everyone calm because that’s whenever we work best.”
The two overtimes went scoreless with LSU having multiple close opportunities that were unable to be executed fully leaving the teams with a tie.
“We were trying to seal the game out there at the end and we just got loose on those players and just stepped up without recognition,” Lee said.
The Tigers will next travel to Lexington, Kentucky, to take on the Kentucky Wildcats this Friday at 6:30 p.m. before returning home to face Georgia on Thursday, October 5th.
