Bisons stun No. 6 Mississippi State 1-0 in NCAA Tournament opener
The Lipscomb women’s soccer delivered a major upset in the NCAA Women’s Soccer Tournament, defeating the No. 6-seeded Mississippi State University 1-0 on Saturday night at the MSU Soccer Field.
The lone goal of the first-round contest came in the 31st minute from captain junior midfielder Bella Carapazza, with the assist credited to sophomore midfielder Chloe lliff. Lipscomb sophomore goalkeeper Kaïna Cesar earned the shutout, securing the Bisons’ spot in the second round.
Carapazza opened the scoring in the 31st minute, chipping the ball with a decisive finish toward the bottom-left corner of the net. The goal, assisted by lliff, was the singular moment of quality that proved to be the difference against the run of play.
The contest was a relentless defensive effort for the Bisons, who were heavily outshot 18-3 by the home team. The Lady Bulldogs also dominated corner kicks 11-1, but Lipscomb successfully neutralized the continuous pressure.
The Lady Bisons’ ability to bend but not break was evident in the box score. Cesar logged five critical saves, leading a resolute defensive unit that did not allow the Lady Bulldogs to convert any of their six shots on goal.
The Lady Bisons will now advance to the NCAA Tournament second round to face the No. 3-seeded Florida State University on Thursday, Nov. 20, at a location to be determined.
Featured image of the Women’s team celebrating taken by Micah Barkley at a previous game.
