Mississippi State soccer wrapped up its nonconference schedule in style last weekend in a high-scoring affair at South Alabama. 

The Bulldogs travelled to face the Jaguars on Sunday, winning 4-2 in Mobile with goals from Kyra Taylor, Adia Symmonds and Zoe Main. 

MSU, now 5-1 on the season, will begin Southeastern Conference play this week. Their nonconference matchups featured three Power Four teams, including a win over 2024 national finalists Wake Forest. 

“I’m really, really proud of the girls and staff to finish our nonconference the way that we did,” head coach Nick Zimmerman said of the win. “South Alabama is a very good team who are well-coached, and it’s a very tough place to play. To score four goals the way that we did and having to face adversity at times in the game was awesome for such a young group. They continue to do what we are asking of them in training, and I’m just really happy for them.”

The Bulldogs opened the game with a goal from Taylor and held onto a 1-0 lead through halftime, but the second half saw the game turn into a shootout. 

An own goal gave MSU a 2-0 lead early in the second half, but USA responded with a goal from Juliana Lopes to pull within one. 

It brought some urgency to the game for MSU, and Symmonds found the net just a minute after the restart to impose a two-goal lead again. 

Main found the net with 10 minutes to play, and Lopes responded just two minutes later with her second of the match, but that would be the last time the hosts found the net on the day. 

The Bulldogs will begin SEC play on Friday with a visit from No. 2 Tennessee. The Vols have made an impressive start to the 2025 season, which includes an upset win over reigning national champions North Carolina. 

The match will kick off at 6 p.m. at the MSU Soccer Field, and will include a pregame ceremony to honor the 30th anniversary of the program’s inaugural season in 1995, featuring members of the original team. 

The game will be televised on ESPNU.