Georgia Returns Home to Face Mississippi State Thursday

Thursday, September 23

Athens, Ga.

6 p.m.

University of Georgia

Mississippi State

Georgia Returns Home to Face Mississippi State Thursday

September 22, 2021 | Soccer

Mississippi State Match Notes

Georgia (7-2-0, 0-1 SEC) vs. Mississippi State (2-3-2, 0-1 SEC)
Date: Thursday, Sept. 23
Time: 6 p.m. EDT
Location: Athens, Ga.
Site: Turner Soccer Complex (1,682)

MEDIA INFORMATION
Live Stream: SEC Network+ (Jeff Dantzler, PxP / Marion Crowder Cole, Analyst)
Live Stats: GeorgiaDogs.com
Twitter: @UGASoccer

Social Media: For complete information on Georgia soccer, follow the team on its social media channels via @UGASoccer on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

QUICK KICKS
Series History
Thursday's match is the 17^th all-time meeting between the two Bulldogs, with Georgia holding a 16-4 lead in the series. In the most recent matchup, Georgia pulled out a 1-0 win in overtime on Oct. 20, 2019 in Starkville.

Home Sweet Home
Georgia returns to Turner Soccer Complex for the first time in two weeks to host SEC opponent Mississippi State. With only two matches played in the last two weeks, Georgia hopes to open its home conference season refreshed and well-rested. Additionally, Thursday's match is the second Battle of the Bulldogs this season at Turner, following a 3-1 loss to Gonzaga on Aug. 22.

Dawgs Looking to Rebound
Following one of its strongest non-conference seasons in program history, Georgia opened SEC play with a 3-0 loss last Friday at No. 12 Auburn. The result was the first scoreless match for the Bulldogs since a 1-0 loss at Auburn on March 13. In Friday's contest, Georgia was outshot for the first time this season and allowed a season-high six corner kicks.

Belisle Leads the Nation
Graduate forward Mollie Belisle continued her outstanding season with a deep strike against Charleston on Sept. 12, giving Georgia its lone goal of the match. Currently, Belisle ranks first nationally with 10 goals and is tied for fifth in points with 20. Through nine matches, Belisle has already set a new career high for scores in a season and now ranks ninth in school history with 21 goals. She is also the first player to score 10+ goals in a season Marion Crowder notched 11 in 2013.

Ranking Report
Following the loss to Auburn, Georgia fell to No. 8 in the United Soccer Coaches (USC) Southeast Region rankings and did not receive any votes for the national poll. The Bulldogs checked in at No. 45 in the inaugural RPI rankings released Monday, the sixth-highest rated team in the SEC.

Putting Up Numbers
Through nine matches, the Georgia attack ranks third in the nation with 33 goals, surpassing the 18 scored all last season. The Bulldogs ranked first for the last two weeks until South Alabama moved into the top spot following a 15-0 win over Alcorn State. With 3.67 goals per match, the scoring offense ranks sixth nationally and first in the SEC.

Sharing is Caring
Through nine matches, Georgia ranks fourth nationally in total assists with 32. Seniors Abby Boyan and Dani Murguia rank second in the league in assists with seven apiece, while also ranking fifth nationally. In total, 12 different Bulldogs have notched at least one assist in the opening stretch of the season.

Run of Consistency
Thanks to a quartet of Bulldogs, the Georgia starting lineup has remained remarkably consistent. Graduate defender Kayla Bruster has started in 69 consecutive appearances, while seniors Abby Boyan (61) and Cecily Stoute (59) have also continued streaks of their own. Senior midfielder Bella Ponzi (57) and senior goalkeeper Emory Wegener (56) have also joined the "50 Club" this season.

SPECTATOR INFORMATION
Admission to Turner Soccer Complex is free. Before Thursday's match, the first 500 spectators in attendance will receive a free Georgia scarf. A selection of concession items will be available at value prices, with jumbo hot dogs, 20 oz. bottled sodas, and 22 oz. fountain Coca-Cola™ soft drinks selling for $2.50, while 20 oz. bottled Dasani®, candy, and popcorn tubs are $2. All concession and merchandise items at Turner Soccer Complex are cashless and contactless – MasterCard, Visa, American Express, and Discover are all accepted.