Mississippi State soccer finally got to hit the field on Sunday after a week of preparing for the start of the regular season. That kickoff will have to wait until Thursday, when Jacksonville State comes to town, but head coach Nick Zimmerman got one more exhibition on the books to get some valuable playing time for his new-look team. 

The Bulldogs played a hastily scheduled exhibition against Union College, an NCAA Division II program from Tennessee, and finished the match, 9-0. It was a comprehensive win against a weaker side, but just getting another 90 minutes of action in was important after the season opener against UT Martin last week was canceled due to severe weather. 

“We were obviously disappointed as a group and as a staff to not play on Thursday,” Zimmerman said. “We felt like we needed something to get a game, and credit to Union. We reached out, and they said, ‘We’d love to come.’ Super appreciative of them coming up on a Sunday for us to have this opportunity, and for us it’s an opportunity to get better.”

The MSU starters played all of the first half of action, taking a 6-0 lead into the break before giving the rest of the squad some playing time. Ally Perry and Kyra Taylor bagged two goals each, while freshman Laila Murillo added another, and Zoe Main forced an own goal. 

Murillo was one of a few freshmen to make an impression on the day. She was joined in midfield by Adia Symmonds, while Sofia Aguayo, Tatum Borman and Ella Petersen all got significant time on the pitch as well. 

From the sophomore class, Lauryn Taylor, who could be a key contributor, stole the show late with two goals of her own. 

“We’re young, so we’re going to rely heavily on younger players,” Zimmerman said. 

Sixteen of the 28 players on the roster are underclassmen, but the technical level was evident from those who have contributed so far. 

“This year is about building the foundation and also figuring out how we want to play, things that are important to us from an identity standpoint,” Zimmerman said. “They’ve all been working really hard, and we’re really excited about them.” 

Even among the upperclassmen, there are a few new faces. Taylor, one of several transfer arrivals, scored the first two goals of the match while playing alongside Main up front. 

“We’ve been working hard the last two weeks just getting everything together and finding our connection with each other,” Taylor said. “I feel like today we really showed that, and it was really good.”

The chemistry was already evident between her and teammates, and the potential is there for the new arrival to add to a prolific attacking unit. 

“I feel like this is a good confidence booster,” Taylor said. “Everybody is going into this week, the first few games, really confident, and it’s good for us to go into our first few real games of the season with confidence.”

Main and Taylor led the line of a team that looked different in both shape and personnel than last season. The midfield featured a fluid combination of roles, with Perry and Symmonds the primary creators, playing with freedom to move across the pitch and drop deep to collect the ball. 

The defense lined up with two center backs and two wing backs, a shift from the flexible three-back system the Bulldogs employed last season under James Armstrong, but reflected the team’s eagerness to get forward. Though the setup will be more tested against Power Four opponents, the embrace of positional freedom and tactical understanding was evident from the players.

“For us, it’s just about understanding our principles when we have the ball and when we don’t, in possession, out of possession,” Zimmerman said. “We want to give them the fluidity to interchange. This player may drop in here; this time it’s that player. From that side of it, it’s been great, but the kids have been awesome. We’ve thrown a lot at them in terms of film and tactical ideas, and they’ve been great.”

The first regular-season test will be Thursday against Jacksonville State. Kickoff at the MSU Soccer Field is at 6:30 p.m., and the match is open to the public. The match will stream via SEC Network+.