Mississippi State soccer hosts No. 11 South Carolina in televised match

Mississippi State will host No. 11 South Carolina on Friday night in a nationally televised match on ESPNU at 6 p.m. CT in Starkville. The matchup begins a three-match homestand for the Bulldogs, who will host two ranked teams during the stretch.

Mississippi State enters with a 7-1-3 overall record and a 1-0-3 mark in Southeastern Conference play. The Bulldogs held then-No. 9 Tennessee to a scoreless draw last week and have won or tied five of their last six matches against top-10 opponents.

South Carolina is 10-1-0 overall and 4-0-0 in the SEC, with a No. 11 ranking from both IWSOC and TopDrawerSoccer. The Gamecocks have won nine consecutive matches, their longest winning streak since the 2017 season and the longest active streak in the country, while posting seven shutouts in 11 matches.

The match will feature two of the SEC’s top defensive units. South Carolina’s 3.2 expected goals against through four conference matches is second-lowest in the league, and the Gamecocks have allowed one conference goal. Mississippi State’s 5.4 expected goals against ranks fifth, and the Bulldogs have allowed three goals.

Mississippi State leads the league in defensive duels per match, with 75.38, and defensive duels won per match, with 44.47. The Bulldogs also average 4.80 blocked shots per SEC match, while Ashley Tutas and Kara Harris are tied for fourth in the league with 1.46 blocked shots per 90 minutes.

The game is also international night for Mississippi State, whose roster represents five nations and includes six players with national team experience. It will mark the second meeting between sisters Ashley Tutas of Mississippi State and Ava Tutas of South Carolina. Ava won last year’s matchup 2-0 while Ashley was at Oklahoma.

Mississippi State will next host Texas A&M on Friday, Oct. 9, at 7 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.

Source: Mississippi State Athletics.