STARKVILLE — Propelled by a two-goal performance by freshman Red Bruffett, the Mississippi State women’s soccer team defeated No. 20 Kentucky 3-0 in a Southeastern Conference match at the MSU Soccer Field.
The victory for MSU (4-7-3, 2-3-2 SEC) was the first win against a ranked opponent since Oct. 16, 2011, when it defeated No. 11 Florida 1-0. MSU also snapped a five-game losing skid to Kentucky. The four wins on the year eclipses last year’s total of three. The margin of victory was MSU’s largest in a SEC match since a 3-0 victory against Arkansas on Oct. 4, 2002.
“Anytime there is an opportunity to get points in this league we have to go get them, and that’s what we did tonight,” MSU coach Aaron Gordon said. “The challenge we had before us was to beat a team that was in the upper half of this league, and I couldn’t be prouder of how our team responded to that. It’s about controlling our own destiny and not letting others decide it.”
With the win, MSU climbed two spots into 10th in the league. The top 10 squads qualify for the SEC tournament on Nov. 2-8 in Orange Beach, Alabama. The trip to the conference tourney would be the first for the Bulldogs since 2004.
Entering the match, MSU looked for a spark after the sluggish performance against Georgia on Friday. In the 33rd minute, Mallory Eubanks found Bruffett on the right wing for the score.
“Tonight we played hard and we connected as a unit,” Bruffett said. “After that first goal it became real to us because at that point we believed we were going to win.”
MSU carried the 1-0 lead in the locker room after holding Kentucky to two shots in the half. In the 66th minute, Kentucky’s Kaitlin Miller earned a penalty kick, but freshman Courtney Tompkins stood her ground as the shot sailed wide. Thompkins earned three saves in her first start with the Bulldogs.
Bruffett extended the lead with a goal off a header in the 70th minute. Freshman Kiley Martens earned her first career assist.
With MSU leading 2-0, Bruffett swapped roles and assisted redshirt freshman Morgan Mills for a strike to put the exclamation point on the win.
“Red (Bruffett) is a talent, and that’s why we wanted her here at Mississippi State,” Gordon said. “She’s a goal scorer and it showed tonight.”
MSU outshot Kentucky (9-3-3, 3-2-2) 11-6 and had a 7-3 advantage in shots on goal. Kentucky edged MSU in corner kicks 8-5.
“We wanted to build together as a team and we were so positive coming into this game,” Bruffett said. “Our confidence is through the roof and we cant wait to get back out on the field.”
MSU will play host to Florida (10-3-1) at 7 p.m. Friday. You can watch the match on SEC Network + via the WatchESPN app.
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