Georgia Draws Mississippi State, 1-1, to Earn SEC Tournament Bye

Thursday, October 27

Starkville, Miss.

7:30 p.m.

University of Georgia

11-5-2, 5-3-2

Mississippi State

10-4-4, 4-4-2

Georgia

Mississippi St.

Georgia Draws Mississippi State, 1-1, to Earn SEC Tournament Bye

October 27, 2022 | Soccer

Box Score Box Score

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Madison Haugen's equalizer in the 55^th minute powered the University of Georgia soccer team to a 1-1 draw Thursday evening before 726 spectators at the MSU Soccer Field.

With the tie, Georgia (11-5-2, 5-3-2 SEC) clinched a first-round bye for the 2022 SEC Soccer Tournament in Pensacola, Fla., its first bye in a traditional SEC Tournament since 2019. Georgia earned the No. 6 seed in the tournament and will face No. 3 Tennessee in the quarterfinal round on Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 3:30 p.m. on SEC Network. Earlier this season, the Lady Vols defeated the Bulldogs, 2-0, on Oct. 9 in Athens.

Thursday's match marked only the second time this season that Georgia earned a result despite being outshot. Mississippi State (10-4-4, 4-4-2 SEC) outshot Georgia, 12-9, and held a narrow 5-4 advantage in shots on frame. Graduate midfielder Abby Boyan, who set a new program record Thursday with her 89^th career appearance, led the Bulldogs with four shots and two on frame. Freshman goalkeeper Jordan Brown tallied four saves as Georgia's three-game shutout streak was snapped.

Mississippi State nearly went on the board first in the fourth minute as Brown was drawn out of the net, but the close-range shot hit off the cross bar. Georgia also had an early scoring chance go unsuccessful as graduate forward Dani Murguia's header went high over the net. Georgia continued to accumulate chances in the first half, earning three corner kicks and leading the shot margin, 8-6, but the score stayed at zeroes entering the second half.

In the opening minute of the second half, Mississippi State struck first as a long boot from Alivia Buxton found Haley McWhirter in the box, who emerged from a pack of players to deposit the goal, the first allowed by Brown in her Georgia career. The lead was short-lived as Haugen dribbled to the top of the 18 and blasted the equalizer, her third goal of the season.

Following Haugen's goal, Georgia faced a furious charge from Mississippi State, who outshot the Bulldogs of Athens, 6-1, in the second half. The Starkville Bulldogs earned five corner kicks in the final 15 minutes of play, but the Georgia defense stood tall and secured the valuable point.