Mississippi State women’s soccer is back in action, preparing for the 2025 season with a pair of exhibition matches.
The Bulldogs defeated Mercer 4-0 at the MSU Soccer Field on Saturday, picking up goals from Zoe Main, Ally Perry, Laila Murillo and Lauryn Taylor.
Main and Perry are two primary returning forwards for the Bulldogs from the 2024 SEC championship-winning team, while Murillo and Taylor are two underclassmen looking to make an impact early in their careers.
“I think the girls were just excited to finally play someone else,” Zimmerman said after the game. “We were working hard this week in training, trying to implement some ideas, you know from that side of it. Happy to come away healthy, you know for the most part, and then obviously to score some good goals. It’s a start. There’s a long way to go, but it’s a start.”
The exhibition featured three periods of 30 minutes, and saw the Bulldogs rotate through experienced players as well as those competing for bigger roles this season. All three goalkeepers were given a period of action to show their stuff as Zimmerman looks for a permanent No. 1 option, though the Bulldogs only faced two shots throughout the game.
The Bulldogs returned for official practices in late July after a summer in which several players kept refining their game in summer league action. Naila Shoefberger, Adia Symmonds and Nancy Almanza were all named to the All-Sunshine Conference squad for their performances. Shoefberger, a senior with the Bulldogs, was teammates with freshman Symmonds for Florida Premier FC. The team posted a 6-3-1 record in the Women’s Premier Soccer League.
Almanza, a rising senior transfer from Jacksonville State, spent her summer playing with Jacksonville Armada FC, which posted a 6-1-1 record.
Zimmerman and the team will hit the road next weekend for the second and final exhibition against UL Monroe before returning home for the season opener against UT Martin at 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 14 at the MSU Soccer Field.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
