09/30/03
Men's Golf
MANHATTAN, Kan. -- Mississippi State fired a two-round total of 609 after two rounds and stands in sixth-place at the Jim Colbert Intercollegiate at Colbert Hills Golf Club in Manhattan, Kan.

The Bulldogs opened the tournament shooting a team total of 307, while improving five shots in the second round to 302 at the par 72, 7,525 yard course. Freshman Jake Lambert led MSU in the first round firing a one-over par 73. Lambert is in a tie for 19th –place with Iowa’s Bennett Hammerberg at six-over par.

Junior Joe Deraney continues to lead the team in scoring, shooting a two-round total of 149. He stands in a tie for 15th with three other players. Freshman Greg Huxman shot a 156 to place in 38th, while Daniel Boles and Jay Giannetto shot a 158 and 159 respectively.

The Tigers of Missouri are the club house leaders after shooting an even-par score or 576. Austin Hackett, of Southwest Missouri State is the individual leader after shooting a 69 in the second round.

The final round will begin with a 9 a.m. shotgun start.

Source: MSU Media Relations

09/29/03
Soccer
STARKVILLE, Miss. ­ Betty Ann Casey's close-range header with just more than two minutes remaining in regulation found its way over the outstretched fingers of Middle Tennessee goalkeeper Danielle Perreault and into the back of the net to give Mississippi State (6-3-1) a hard fought 1-0 victory over visiting Middle Tennessee (4-5-0) Sunday afternoon at the Mississippi State Soccer Field.

Three different players recorded four shots apiece for a high-octane Maroon and White offense that finished the game with a 19-8 shot advantage, including a 8-3 edge in shots on goal. Freshman goalkeeper Luisa Marzotto saved two of a trio of MTSU shots on goal to record her fourth shutout of the campaign.

The victory stretched State's home unbeaten streak to five games, while also extending State's consecutive scoreless minutes streak in its home facility out to just less than 485 minutes (484:43). Mississippi State's 6-3-1 record also marks its best 10-game start since the 1997 season.

"I felt that out intensity for the whole 90 minutes was very good," said Mississippi State head coach Neil McGuire. "Middle Tennessee is a well-organized, well-coached and very athletic team. It was very difficult to break them down. I am very proud of our players for overcoming those obstacles. This was a well-deserved win for us."

Although getting its first quality shot on goal from April Berry just 42 seconds into the contest, State found itself hard-pressed to find a crack in the Middle Tennessee defense and Perreault. The Bulldogs found quality chances from a distance, but wind gusts and an opportunistic MTSU defense nullified each chance. Mississippi State was up to the task defensively from the start of the contest as the Blue Raiders found opportunities to be very rare.

State got its best chance of the contest just 12 minutes into the second half as Ngum Suh found space less than 10 yards in front of Perreault, but her initial close-range scorcher found the knee of the keeper and the ensuing rebounded shot from Suh was kicked out of danger. A Lindsey Bopp foul set Mississippi State up on a direct kick at the 87:29 mark and a brilliant service from Marzotto took one bounce inside the eight-yard mark and Casey redirected over a charging Perreault to secure the win.

The Bulldogs will return to action this weekend when the Maroons begin an SEC-opening four-game conference roadtrip at No. 23 Tennessee (6-3-0). Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. EDT under the lights of the 1,200-seat Tennessee Soccer Complex.

SCORING SUMMARY
At Starkville, Miss. (MSU Soccer Field)

MIDDLE TENNESSEE 0 0 - 0
MISSISSIPPI STATE 0 1 - 1

87:58 MSU Betty Ann Casey (Luisa Marzotto)

Shots: MT 8 (Miguez, Cox 2), MSU 19 (Three Players With 4). Shots On Goal: MT 3 (Miguez 2), MSU 8 (Suh 3). Corner Kicks: MT 2, MSU 3. Saves: MT 7 (Perreault 6), MSU 3 (Marzotto 2). Fouls: MT 16, MSU 7. Cautions And Ejections: None. Offsides: MT 1, MSU 5. Att. ­ 471.

Source: MSU Media Relations

USF swept the pair of doubles matches that were contested. Paco Antelo and Karim Benmansour downed Bulldogs Luiz Carvalho and Jose-Carlos Pinto, while Bulls Uli Kiendl and Renato Silveira bested MSU's duo of Matt Armstrong and Florent Girod. USF took both matches by 8-4 scores.

State would pick up a pair of victories in singles action, splitting the four contests staged between the squads' players. Victorious for MSU were Pinto and Armstrong. Pinto downed Silveira 6-2, 6-3, while the senior Armstrong was a 7-5, 6-1 winner against German Escallon. Bulldogs Girod and Max Fomine both dropped straight-set decisions in their matchups.

MSU will next compete in the Icy Hot/ITA All-American Championships in Chattanooga, Tenn., beginning next Friday, Oct. 3, with prequalifying action. The tournament, which is college tennis' first major of the year, runs through Oct. 12 when the main draw finals are slated to be played.

Source: MSU Media Relations

09/28/03
Men's Tennis
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Mississippi State's men's tennis team grabbed three victories in seven matches against players from Miami Saturday morning, as the schools met in second-day action of the Gator Invitational.

State swept the two doubles matches staged. Bulldogs Luiz Carvalho and Jose-Carlos Pinto shutout the Hurricane tandem of Tim Krebs and Colin Purcell 8-0. MSU's duo of Matt Armstrong and Florent Girod picked up an 8-4 victory against UM's pair of John Hoyes II and Jonathan Ounjian.

In singles, the 'Canes got the best of the 'Dogs, taking four of the five matches contested. State's lone triumph came from senior Max Fomine, who was a 6-3, 6-2 winner over Hoyes II.

In the other matchups, Miami's Krebs upended MSU's Pinto 6-4, 6-1. Hurricane Eric Hechtman was a 6-4, 6-4 winner against State's Carvalho. Purcell posted a 6-2, 6-2 victory against Girod. And UM's Ounjian bested MSU's Armstrong 7-5, 6-4.

Play concludes in the event Sunday, with MSU taking on the South Florida Bulls at 10 a.m. ET. This weekend's action is structured similar to normal dual matches, but no team scores are being recorded, only individual results.

Source: MSU Media Relations

09/27/03
Soccer
STARKVILLE, Miss. ­ The Mississippi State Soccer team (5-3-1) erupted for four second half goals and got another outstanding performance from its defense as the Bulldogs stopped a three-game losing streak with a 4-0 victory over visiting Jacksonville State (4-3-1) Friday evening at the Mississippi State Soccer Field.

Betty Ann Casey notched her second and third goals of the season on an 11-shot second half for the host Maroon and White, with freshman Heidi Ondra adding her fourth and Sara Moore scoring her first. Sophomore Emily Meyers notched her first collegiate point on an assist in the period. Freshman goalkeeper Luisa Marzotto recorded her third shutout of the season, stopping three of five shots on goal by the visitors.

The victory pushed State's home unbeaten streak to five games and effectively snapped Jacksonville State's five-game unbeaten streak. Mississippi State has yet to allow a goal on its home turf this season, shutting out its opponents in 482 minutes and 56 seconds of play at the MSU Soccer Field.

Mississippi State will return to action on Sunday afternoon when the Bulldogs close out their second homestand of the season against Middle Tennessee (4-4-0). Game time is set for 1 p.m. at the Mississippi State Soccer Field and admission is free.

SCORING SUMMARY
At Starkville, Miss. (MSU Soccer Field)

JACKSONVILLE STATE 0 0 - 0
MISSISSIPPI STATE 0 4 - 4

55:06 MSU Heidi Ondra (Elke D'Hollander)
60:25 MSU Sara Moore (Karen Sandrik)
88:49 MSU Betty Ann Casey (Emily Meyers)
89:42 MSU Betty Ann Casey (Penalty Kick)

Source: MSU Media Relations

In doubles, the teams split a pair of contests. Bulldogs Luiz Carvalho and Jose-Carlos Pinto held off Gators Trey Johnson and Vladimir Obradovic 9-7. In the other matchup, UF's duo of Chris Brandi and Martin Stiegwart bested Bulldogs Matt Armstrong and Florent Girod 8-2.

After the teams completed doubles action, only a couple of games of singles were played on each court before rains hit the area, delaying play for just under an hour. The teams then moved into the three-court Ring Tennis Pavilion to finish out the competition, where the Bulldogs would take three of the five singles matches staged.

First off the court was State's Carvalho, who downed the Gators' Stiegwart 6-0, 6-2 to continue his excellent play to start the fall campaign (6-1 overall thus far). The schools would then split the final four matches.

UF's Obradovic, ranked 99th nationally, bested the MSU newcomer Pinto 6-3, 6-2 while Girod secured a 6-2, 6-3 win over Johnson for the Bulldogs. In the final two contests, Florida's Stefan Tell defeated Armstrong 6-0, 6-2, before State's 84th-ranked Max Fomine rallied from a set down to defeat Brandi 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-2.

Play continues in the event Saturday, with MSU taking on the Miami Hurricanes at 10 a.m. ET. State wraps up its action at the same time Sunday, facing South Florida's Bulls. This weekend's action is structured similar to normal dual matches, but no team scores are being recorded, only individual results.

Source: MSU Media Relations

USF swept the pair of doubles matches that were contested. Paco Antelo and Karim Benmansour downed Bulldogs Luiz Carvalho and Jose-Carlos Pinto, while Bulls Uli Kiendl and Renato Silveira bested MSU's duo of Matt Armstrong and Florent Girod. USF took both matches by 8-4 scores.

State would pick up a pair of victories in singles action, splitting the four contests staged between the squads' players. Victorious for MSU were Pinto and Armstrong. Pinto downed Silveira 6-2, 6-3, while the senior Armstrong was a 7-5, 6-1 winner against German Escallon. Bulldogs Girod and Max Fomine both dropped straight-set decisions in their matchups.

MSU will next compete in the Icy Hot/ITA All-American Championships in Chattanooga, Tenn., beginning next Friday, Oct. 3, with prequalifying action. The tournament, which is college tennis' first major of the year, runs through Oct. 12 when the main draw finals are slated to be played.

Source: MSU Media Relations

09/26/03
Men's Tennis
STARKVILLE, Miss. ­ Hitting the road for their second tournament of the fall season, Mississippi State's Bulldog netters travel to Gainesville, Fla., this weekend (Sept. 26-28) to compete in the Gator Invitational. State will join Miami, South Florida and host Florida in the event.

State's schedule will include a battle with UF's Gators on Friday at 3 p.m. ET. The Bulldogs will then take on the Hurricanes Saturday at 10 a.m. MSU will conclude competition at the same time Sunday, meeting the Bulls of USF.

The weekend's action will be structured similar to normal dual matches, but no team scores will be recorded, only individual results.

Competing for MSU will be Romain Ambert, Matt Armstrong, Luiz Carvalho, Max Fomine, Florent Girod and Jose-Carlos Pinto.

Following this weekend's action, State's next event will be the Icy Hot/ITA All-American Championships, the first major of the year, in Chattanooga, Tenn., beginning Friday, Oct. 3.

Source: MSU Media Relations

09/22/03 (3:00 p.m.)
ATHENS, Ga. ­ Mississippi State's Luiz Carvalho dropped a three-set decision to Wake Forest's Brett Ross in the Division II singles title match at the Southern Intercollegiate Championships Monday morning on the University of Georgia campus.

The MSU junior took the first set from Ross 6-2, but the Demon Deacon sophomore rallied for a 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory. A Sao Paulo, Brazil, native, Carvalho went 5-1 on the weekend, seeing his first competition since the spring of 2002 after medically redshirting last season following shoulder surgery.

Carvalho and the rest of the Bulldog net squad will return to action this weekend, Sept. 26-28, competing in the Gator Invitational in Gainesville, Fla.

Source: MSU Media Relations

09/22/03
ATHENS, Ga. ­ By posting two victories Sunday, Mississippi State's Luiz Carvalho will play for the title of the Division II singles draw at the Southern Intercollegiate Championships Monday morning at Georgia's Dan Magill Tennis Complex. Carvalho is 5-0 this weekend with four straight-set wins to his credit.

Carvalho, a native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, notched identical 6-4, 6-4 wins Sunday in the quarterfinals and semifinals of his field to advance to Monday's final. He opened the day by ousting William & Mary's Steven Kane and followed with a triumph against Trevor McLeod of Georgia Tech. The MSU junior, who redshirted last season after shoulder surgery sidelined him, will meet Wake Forest's Brett Ross at 10 a.m. ET in Monday's championship match.

In Division I singles play Sunday, Bulldog all-American Romain Ambert, the No. 2 seed overall and ranked 11th nationally, retired early in his quarterfinal-round match with fifth-seeded and 67th-ranked Matias Ormaza of host Georgia due to pains in his elbow. Ormaza led 3-1 in the first set at the time. Ambert's setback is not expected to sideline him for an extended period.

Senior Max Fomine, ranked 84th nationally, fell in his Division II quarterfinal-round consolation match to Vanderbilt's Greg Sossaman 7-5, 6-1 Sunday. MSU's remaining doubles contingent in the tournament was also eliminated when Matt Armstrong and Fomine fell 8-5 to South Carolina's pair of Rob Cassidy and Heraldo Knorr in the Division II quarterfinals.

Source: MSU Media Relations

09/20/03
Women's Tennis
WACO, Texas ­ Mississippi State University's women's tennis team completed day one of the HEB-Baylor Fall Tennis Invitational in Waco, Texas, Friday evening. The tournament is being held at the Baylor Tennis Center.

In Green Singles Round 32, MSU's Marcelle Hirt defeated UT-Arlington's Daniela Novakova in a 6-3, 6-3, decision only to fall 6-3, 6-3, to Arizona's Dianna Hollands in Round 16.

In Gold Singles Round 32, Magdi Rekasi defeated Hally Rambally of SMU 6-0, 1-6, 7-6, and MSU's seventh-seeded Anastasia Kugakolova was victorious over SMU's Sana Cortas 6-1, 6-2. Both again came out on top in Round 16 with a 6-4, 2-6, 7-6, victory for Rekasi over sixth-seeded Joelle Schwenk of Kentucky and a 6-1, 6-2, victory for Kugakolova over Arizona's Iza Ferreira.

In Gold Doubles, Marcelle Hirt and Brittany Serret defeated UT-Arlington's Hach and Vetrovcova in an 8-1 decision in Round 16, but fell 8-2 to Foster and Kalsarieva of Kentucky in the quarterfinals.

Source: MSU Media Relations

Homestanding and 24th-ranked Nebraska (4-2-1) got a goal from Ashley Carter with a little more than three minutes gone in the second half, then staved off a furious effort by Mississippi State (4-2-1) down the stretch to defeat the visiting Bulldogs, 1-0, Friday at the Abbott Sports Complex.

Mississippi State fought off 22 Nebraska shots and 12 corner kicks to put itself in a position to score at various points in the game, including a clutch chance at the end of the first half that went for naught. The Bulldogs found most of its chances coming on set pieces in the second period, but the Huskers were able to recover and nullify the opportunities.

Freshman goalkeeper Luisa Marzotto tallied 10 saves to record her second double digit save performance of the season. Five different players recorded shots for the Bulldogs.

"I am very proud of each and everyone of my players for the way they played tonight," said Mississippi State head coach Neil McGuire. "Nebraska is a perennial powerhouse in women's collegiate soccer, and to lose by only one goal is a testament to where our young ladies have taken themselves. We will never accept a loss, however, one must be pleased that we are getting closer to the top."

Nebraska, the Big XII tournament champion in 2002, and a team that has made appearances in the last eight NCAA Tournaments including Sweet 16 showings the past two seasons, fired off the first six shots of the game, but Mississippi State answered in the 15th minute of play with a close-range header from Heather Ammann that found its way just wide of the Husker nets. Nebraska got its best chance in the 39th minute (38:06) on a rifle shot from Ashley Tenn, but Marzotto got enough glove on the ball to redirect it into the far post and out of danger. State nearly got the chance to capitalize on Nebraska goalkeeper Brooke Bredenberg's shank late in the first half, but the defense was well supported and midfielder Pam Karakusis' pressure kept the game at a deadlock.

Just three minutes into the first half, Nebraska put together the only scoring chance of the night, however, as Kari Hogan found space down the far sideline and hit a driven service into the box for Carter who connected on a diving header just inches in front of the challenge from Morgan McDonald for the game's only score.

Mississippi State will return to action on Sunday afternoon when the Bulldogs head to Ames, Iowa, to close out a three-game road trip at Iowa State. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at the Iowa State Soccer Complex.

Source: MSU Media Relations

In the women's 5K, the Lady Bulldogs (37) came in second behind SEC foe Tennessee (37). Tiffany McWilliams took first-place for the third straight race this season with her time of 17:28.07. McWilliams set a new MSU record last weekend at the Bulldog Invitational finishing the 5K race in 16:55. Junior Meggan Hodge finished in 10th-place with a 18:36.62.

On the men's side, State took third place in the 8K behind host Alabama (41) and Southern Illinois (60). Atlanta native Gedamu Ege paced the Bulldogs for the first time this season with a ninth place finish in 25:59.94, a season best. Freshman Dustin Fier ran the race in 26:16.15, also a season best, giving him a 12th-place finish.

MSU's cross country runners compete next at the Notre Dame Invitational in South Bend, Ind., on Friday, October 3.

Source: MSU Media Relations

In Division I competition, the senior all-American Ambert, the No. 2 seed overall and ranked 11th nationally, received a first-round bye and then advanced with a 5-7, 7-5, 2-2, ret. victory over Duke's Jason Zimmerman when the Blue Devil retired with cramps in a very hard-fought contest between the players. Ambert will face Georgia State's Jamie Rodriguez at Noon ET Saturday.

Showing positive signs in his debut as a Bulldog was sophomore Jose-Carlos Pinto, also competing in Division I. The transfer from Hampton University opened the day with a 6-2, 6-2 triumph over South Carolina's Marcus Westman. He then dropped a tight 6-7(2), 7-6(4), 6-3 decision to Furman's eighth-seeded and 79th-ranked John Chesworth in the second round in a solid effort.

In Division II play, the junior Carvalho was a 6-2, 6-4 victor against Tennessee Tech's Dominik Hecht in the morning and then rallied to down Memphis' Alex Bucewicz 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-1 in the afternoon. His Saturday opponent was being determined in a late match Friday night. After receiving an opening-round bye in the same draw, Girod claimed a 4-6, 6-0, 6-4 win over David Secker of Armstrong Atlantic in the afternoon. He will meet Duke's Peter Rodriguez in Saturday's round of 16 at 12:30 p.m. ET. Also after a first-round bye, State's 84th-ranked Max Fomine was upset by Georgia Tech's Trevor McLeod 6-3, 6-3 and was playing a late consolation match Friday against Mississippi's David Donaldson.

The senior Armstrong, of Jackson, moved into the round of 16 of Division III competition with two solid wins on the day. He opened the day by blanking Stetson's Ben Adrian 6-0, 6-0 and followed that victory with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 triumph over Taavd Roos of Armstrong Atlantic. Armstrong will meet Will Moseley of Georgia Southern Saturday at 11 a.m. ET.

"I was very pleased with our effort today," MSU head coach Sylvain Guichard said. "Our guys all fought very hard today in a lot of difficult individual matchups. There were a lot of positives for us."

After one round of singles in each division Saturday, doubles competition will begin in the afternoon. State's duos will be Ambert/Girod and Carvalho/Pinto in Division I, and Armstrong and Fomine in Division II.

Source: MSU Media Relations

09/17/03
Soccer
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ­ Homestanding Samford (4-1-2) scored a pair of goals in a three minute span in the second half, then held back a furious rally by visiting Mississippi State (4-1-1) to defeat the Maroon and White, 2-0, Tuesday evening at Bulldog Field.

The loss effectively snapped a school record-tying six game unbeaten streak posted by MSU, as well as a school record streak for consecutive shutouts (4). Freshman goalkeeper Luisa Marzotto, who earned her second consecutive SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors on Monday, also had her school record consecutive shutout minutes streak halted at 425 minutes and 54 seconds.

"Samford deserved to win this evening even though we outshot them by a considerable margin," said Mississippi State head coach Neil McGuire. "They wanted to win more than we did."

Although outshooting the Red and Blue by a final count of 14-6, the Bulldogs found many of their shots sailing wide or high of the goal. Samford got the first real chance of the contest in the 16th minute, but Lindsay Shank's cannon shot from the top of the box found the crossbar and sailed out of danger.

Marian Wagner scored her first goal of the season in the 57th minute as she took a pass from Shanks and back-heeled it past a diving Marzotto for the game's first goal, marking the first goal given up by the Mississippi State defense since the 89:04 mark of its season opener at Memphis. Three minutes later, on a counter attack, Kim Matthews played a perfect ball through the midfield that found Shanks in space. Shanks made one defender miss and set the ball on her left foot before rifling a shot past Marzotto to give Samford a 2-0 lead.

Mississippi State will close out a three-game road trip this weekend when the Bulldogs travel to Big XII country to face both Nebraska (3-2-1) and Iowa State (2-2-1) on the road. Friday evening's contest in Lincoln, Neb., has been slated for a 7 p.m. kickoff, while Sunday's matchup in Ames, Iowa, is scheduled for a 1 p.m. kickoff.

SCORING SUMMARY
At Birmingham, Ala. (Bulldog Field)
MISSISSIPPI STATE 0 0 - 0
SAMFORD 0 0 - 0

56:37 SAM Marian Wagner (Lindsay Shanks)
59:23 SAM Lindsay Shanks (Kim Matthews)

Shots: MSU 16 (Suh 4), SAM 7 (Geiger 3). Shots On Goal: MSU 4 (Ammann 2), SAM 4 (Four Players). Corner Kicks: MSU 4, SAM 6. Saves: MSU 2 (Marzotto), SAM 4 (Royall 2). Fouls: MSU 13, SAM 14. Cautions: MSU, Suh (79:06). SAM, Christoffer (74:06), Kearns (77:37). Att. ­ 583.

Source: MSU Media Relations

09/16/03
Soccer
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ­ For her efforts in Mississippi State's first program victory over a nationally-ranked opponent, Mississippi State freshman goalkeeper Luisa Marzotto was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week for the second consecutive week, the league office announced Monday afternoon.

Marzotto, whose consecutive shutout minute streak has now reached a school record 369 minutes and eight seconds, becomes the first MSU player to earn SEC weekly honors twice in one season. The Canberra, Australia, native earned the accolade last week after tallying 210 minutes of shutout ball in State's tie with Southwest Missouri State and victory over Florida International.

"Aussie is a confident young lady who wants to win," said Mississippi State head coach Neil McGuire about Marzotto. "She is part of a great defensive unit, and this honor has to be shared with the players in front of her. Her performance against Missouri was as good as I have seen in a long time."

Behind a very rapacious defense, Marzotto and Mississippi State have surrendered just one goal in five games this season, giving the freshman an SEC-best 0.19 goals against average in 472 minutes in goal. Marzotto has tallied 22 saves on the season, including 13 on Friday evening in State's victory over then-No. 25 Missouri. Marzotto also currently holds the league-best in save percentage as well, stopping 22 of 27 opponent shots on goal (.957).

Marzotto, who left her feet twice to snag close range Missouri shots in the final three minutes of the contest, posted the fifth-best save total in program annals against the Tigers. Her second career shutout also marked State's school record fourth consecutive shutout. Mississippi State is currently on a school record six-game unbeaten streak as well.

The Maroon and White (4-0-1) will again be in action on Tuesday evening when the 'Dogs head to Birmingham to begin a three-game road trip against the Samford Bulldogs (3-1-2). Game time has been set for 7 p.m. at Bulldog Field.

Source: MSU Media Relations

"I am very pleased with the work Linda Moore and our academic services do with our kids," said head coach Al Schmidt. "Because this award is for those athletes that have qualified for the NCAA Championships, I am very proud to say they excel both in the classroom and in track & field."

The women's track and field team was named an All-Academic team for its combined 3.30 GPA. Individually, Nicole Dunn, Meggan Hodge, Zita Magliore and Jennifer McPherson were honored. Dunn maintained a 3.34 GPA in banking and finance, Hodge a 3.27 GPA in human sciences, Magliore a 3.89 GPA in biological sciences and McPherson a 3.46 GPA in general studies.

On the men's side, Matt Denton and Clay Garner were honored for their 3.75 in business administration and 3.71 in teaching and coaching, respectively.

To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must (1) have completed at least 2 semesters or 3 quarters at the certifying institution, (2) have compiled a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 for the most recent grading period, and (3) have met the NCAA Division I automatic or provisional qualifying standard for the most recent indoor championships or the NCAA Regional qualifying standard for the outdoor championships.

To be eligible for the team award, the team must have a 3.00 or higher cumulative GPA for all student-athletes on the institution's NCAA squad list for indoor and/or outdoor track and field.

Source: MSU Media Relations

09/12/03
Softball
STARKVILLE, Miss. ­ Twenty home dates, including 11 games against teams that participated in NCAA Regional competition last season, highlight the 62-game softball schedule released Thursday by Mississippi State Director of Athletics Larry Templeton.

The Bulldogs will also play four home dates during the month of October to put the finishing touches on fall workouts. MSU will begin its Fall competition on October 5.

"I think that we have a very good tournament schedule that will allow us the opportunities to prepare for the Southeastern Conference schedule," said Mississippi State head coach Jay Miller. "Both of our road tournaments will allow us to play some ranked teams, as well as some teams from the west coast. Our home tournament will be beneficial to our fans and will keep us in school a little bit longer."

For the second-straight season, the Maroon and White will begin their Spring campaign at home, bringing in the likes of Jackson State, Louisiana Tech and Bradley for the three-day Bulldog Round-Robin tournament at the MSU Softball Field. MSU will travel to San Diego the following weekend and the San Diego State tournament to battle Oklahoma State, host San Diego State and UCSB, before returning home on Feb. 20 for the three-day Bulldog Round Robin tourney. Austin Peay State, Alabama A&M and Mississippi Valley State will join MSU in that tournament.

The Bulldogs will complete the tournament portion of their schedule, Feb. 27-29, at the Hyatt Regency Cougar Classic hosted by the University of Houston. Brigham Young, Villanova, Houston, Virginia and Pittsburgh highlight the slate in Texas.

State will begin the month of March with nine-straight conference matchups, including series at LSU and Georgia, with a home series against South Carolina mixed in between. The Maroons will get a break from conference action on March 16 at Chattanooga and March 24 in Hattiesburg, against Southern Miss, but will play a home series against Tennessee and a road series at Kentucky during the month as well.

The Bulldogs open up the month of April with a road series at Auburn on April 3, before engaging in the second annual M&F Bank Fastpitch Classic on April 6 in Ridgeland against Southern Miss. Following a home series with Alabama and road dates at both Alabama A&M and Arkansas, the Maroon and White will close out the month with a six-game conference homestand against Mississippi and Florida, respectively, as well as a home-and-home doubleheader with UAB, April 27-28.

A Senior Day doubleheader is State's only regularly scheduled date in the month of May, before the Bulldogs head to the SEC Tournament in Tuscaloosa, Ala., May 13-16, and the NCAA Regionals to be played on campus sites, May 20-23. The NCAA Women's College World Series will situate in Oklahoma City, Okla., May 27-31.

Source: MSU Media Relations

09/10/03
Men's Golf
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Mississippi State finished in a tie for fifth-place at the Raising Cane Classic at Canebrake Golf Club in Hattiesburg. The Bulldogs shot a final round score of 298, finishing with a final score of 865 with South Alabama.

The final round was delayed by rain in the Hattiesburg area. The Maroon and White entered the final round in fifth-place after scoring a 567 thru two rounds.

Junior Joe Deraney finished as MSU's top finisher, posting a score of 210 to finish in a tie for sixth. Freshman Jake Lambert remained in 16th-place in the final round. Daniel Boles competed as an individual and posted a final-round score of 68 to finish in third. The Meridian, Miss.-native was the only individual competitor to finish in the top-20.

Austin Peay State claimed the team title with a tournament total of 844. Jacksonville State's Matias Anselmo took home individual honors. He finished the Classic with an 11-under par total. MSU finished behind Jacksonville State, Southeastern Louisiana, and host-Southern Mississippi.

State will travel to Manhattan, Kan., Sept. 29-30 for the Jim Colbert Intercollegiate, hosted by Kansas State at Colbert Hills Golf Club.

Source: MSU Media Relations

09/09/03
Soccer
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ­ For her efforts in Mississippi State's second-straight unbeaten weekend, freshman goalkeeper Luisa Marzotto has been named SEC Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced Monday afternoon.

On the heels of a consecutive shutout minute streak that has now reached more than 279 minutes, Marzotto collected her first career shutout in Mississippi State's double overtime tie with Southwest Missouri State on Friday evening in Starkville, then pitched 100 minutes of shutout play in MSU's win over Florida International on Sunday.

"This is a nice honor for Luisa, of which she is very deserving," said Mississippi State head coach Neil McGuire. "She has played to a high level in all our games thus far and is part of a very strong defensive unit."

On the season, Marzotto has played and started all four games for the Maroon and White in their run to a 3-0-1 record. She has allowed just one goal in 382 minutes of play for a goals against average of 0.24. Marzotto has faced just 19 shots behind a stingy MSU defense and has recorded nine saves.

Marzotto and the Bulldogs will return to action on Friday evening when they close out a four-game homestand by hosting undefeated Missouri (4-0; 5th NSCAA Central Region) at the Mississippi State Soccer Field. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. and admission to all 2003 Mississippi State Soccer home games is free.

Source: MSU Media Relations

09/08/03
Cross Country
SEWANEE, Tenn. ­ Mississippi State University's men's and women's cross country teams both finished in second-place at the Sewanee Invitational, the season opening meet for both squads, on Saturday morning. The meet was held on the Sewanee Golf Course, host of the 2002 SCAC Cross Country Championships.

MSU's men's team, in its first meet since 1995, finished with 85 points in second-place behind Emory University (38). Senior Chris Boldt came in second overall with a time of 26:20.31. Bulldog Gedamu Ege finished the meet with a time of 26:42.17 putting him in third-place.

Freshman Ryan Irwin came in 12th-place after running the 8K in 27:51.20. Less than two seconds behind him was MSU senior Jason Odom with a time of 27:52.77. Rounding out the Bulldog competitors, Elmore McConnell finished the race in 85th-place (32:45.94).

The 2002 Sewanee Invitational Champion Lady Bulldogs finished the 2003 5K race in a close second-place, 25 points behind Emory University (43). All five of State's runners finished in the top-30 with Meggan Hodge leading the pack after a 18:55.52 race and a second-place finish. Junior Cassie Hanan ran a 19:35.71, a career fastest time, for a seventh-place finish.

In her second fastest race in Maroon and White, Jackie Rentschler crossed the finish line with a time of 20:12.65 in 13th-place. Setting another career high for the Lady Bulldogs, Anne Fyfe finished the race in 20:47.72 minutes in 22nd-place. In 28th-place, Mary Francis Wright improved her time from the 2002 race by more than two minutes, finishing in 21:13.06.

The Mississippi State cross country squads were split for competition this weekend. The remaining competitors will run this evening at the Memphis Twilight Classic held at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex.

2003 Sewanee Invitational

Men
1. Emory University 38
2. Mississippi State University 85
3. Rhodes College 97
4. Centre College 101
4. Jacksonville State University 101
6. Covenant College 138
7. University of the South 191
8. University of North Alabama 214
9. Reinhardt College 280
10. Lee University 286
11. Maryville College 314
12. Oglethorpe University 336

MSU's Top Finishers
2. Chris Boldt 26:20.31
3. Gedamu Ege 26:42.17
12. Ryan Irwin 27:51.20
13. Jason Odom 27:52.77
85. Elmore McConnell 32:45.94

Women
1. Emory University 43
2. Mississippi State University 68
3. Centre College 82
4. Rhodes College 84
5. University of the South 164
6. Lee University 183
7. Covenant College 204
8. University of North Alabama 206
9. Agnes Scott College 218
10. Jacksonville State University 258
11. Reinhardt College 317
12. Gadsden State CC 325
13. Oglethorpe University 335

MSU's Top Finishers
2. Meggan Hodge 18:55.52
7. Cassie Hana 19:35.71
13. Jackie Rentschler 20:12.65
22. Anne Fyfe 20:47.72
28. Mary Francis Wright 21:13.06

Source: MSU Media Relations

Cross Country
MEMPHIS, Tenn. ­ Mississippi State University's women's cross country team swept the top-five spots at the Memphis Twilight Classic held at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex Saturday evening for a first-place finish. On the men's side, the Bulldogs finished in a close second-place, 25 points behind leader Harding University.

The women posted a perfect score of 15, winning the meet with its runners placing first through fifth with less than one minute separating them. MSU standout Tiffany McWilliams paced the team with a time of 10:44.80 in the two-mile race for her second first-place finish in her collegiate career. Sophomore Jennifer McPherson crossed the finish line in 11:29.50. Mina Thorstenson finished four seconds behind McPherson for third-place (11:33.80).

Zita Magloire and Joy Griffith ran the two-mile race in 11:36.10 and 11:39.40, respectively. Rounding out the Lady Bulldogs were Michelle Kinney in 13th-place with an 11:57.10, and Liz Grube in 17th-place with a 12:02.80.

The nine Bulldog freshmen that competed in the two-mile run finished in the top-45 with Dustin Fier leading the squad with a time of 20:26.40 in sixth-place. Collin Bushman (20:54.70), Brett Marlin (20:55.60) and Brandon Smith (21:00.50) took the 13th, 14th and 15th spots in their first race in Maroon and White.

Hoover, Ala., native Phillip Moore finished in 20th-place with a time of 21:21.90. Less than two seconds apart, Shelby Nousain and Kevin Coch took 29th and 30th-place in 22:00.50 and 22:02.20, respectively. Also a Hoover, Ala. native Jamie Oliver ran a 22:12.50 leaving him in 32nd-place, and Ryan Looney, of Kennett, Mo., finished in 41st-place with a time of 22:30.40.

2003 Memphis Twilight Classic

(Men)
1. Harding University 30
2. Mississippi State University 55
3. Arkansas-Little Rock 89
4. Murray State University 91
5. University of Tennessee-Martin 155
6. Arkansas State University 156
7. Mississippi College 166
8. Mississippi Valley State 214
9. Christian Brothers University 222
10. Jackson State University 257
11. Alcorn State University 306
12. Freed-Hardeman University 320

6. Dustin Fier 20:26.40
13. Collin Bushman 20:54.70
14. Brett Marlin 20:55.60
15. Brandon Smith 21:00.50
20. Phillip Moore 21:21.90
29. Shelby Nousain 22:00.50
30. Kevin Coch 22:02.20
32. Jamie Oliver 22:12.50
41. Ryan Looney 22:30.40

(Women)
1. Mississippi State University 15
2. University of Memphis 89
3. Arkansas Tech University 111
4. Murray State University 114
5. Arkansas-Little Rock 136
6. Arkansas State University 145
7. University of Tennessee-Martin 158
8. Mississippi College 197
9. Alcorn State University 249
10. Jackson State University 272
11. Mississippi Valley State 302
12. Freed-Hardeman University 336

1. Tiffany McWilliams 10:44.80
2. Jennifer McPherson 11:29.50
3. Mina Thorstenson 11:33.80
4. Zita Magloire 11:36.10
5. Joy Griffith 11:39.40
13. Michelle Kinney 11:57.10
17. Liz Grube 12:02.80

Source: MSU Media Relations

Soccer
STARKVILLE, Miss. ­ Senior Elke D'Hollander's penalty kick goal in the third minute of double overtime gave homestanding Mississippi State (3-0-1) its first Golden Goal since the 2001 season as the Bulldogs edged visiting Florida International (0-3), 1-0, Sunday afternoon at the Mississippi State Soccer Field.

In a game marred by 40 fouls and four yellow cards, Mississippi State emerged as the game's shot leader, outshooting the visiting Golden Panthers 15-6 in the contest. Freshman goalkeeper Luisa Marzotto pushed her consecutive shutout minutes streak to 279 minutes and eight seconds. The win also pushed Mississippi State's unbeaten streak to five games dating back to the 2001 regular season finale.

"I think we suffered today from the same things that we did on Friday and that was offensive organization," said Mississippi State head coach Neil McGuire. "I am always pleased with a win though."

Mississippi State will return to action on Friday evening when the Bulldogs close out a four-game homestand by hosting Missouri (4-0) in a 7 p.m. contest at the Mississippi State Soccer Field. Admission to all 2003 Mississippi State Soccer home games is free.

SCORING SUMMARY
At Starkville, Miss. (MSU Soccer Field)
Florida International 0 0 0 0 - 0
Mississippi State 0 0 0 1 - 1

Shots: FIU 6 (Gingerich 4), MSU 15 (Ammann 3).
Shots On Goal: FIU 5 (Gingerich 3), MSU 9 (D'Hollander 2).
Corner Kicks: FIU 3, MSU 3.
Saves: FIU 8 (Gomez), MSU 5 (Marzotto 4).
Fouls: FIU 22, MSU 18.
Cautions And Ejections: FIU - Ligouri (57:10), Rodriguez (62:37), MSU ­ Nickles (18:52), Suh (77:18).
Attendance ­ 304.

Source: MSU Media Relations

Volleyball
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Southern Mississippi (7-1) staged a pair of late-game comebacks Saturday to turn back Mississippi State and claim the championship of the fourth annual MSU/Ramada Inn Volleyball Classic at the Newell-Grissom Building. USM bested the Bulldogs 30-28, 30-28, 30-19 to finish the two-day, round-robin tournament with a 3-0 mark. Mississippi State (1-5) also absorbed a 3-0 setback at the hands of Austin Peay Saturday morning and concluded the tournament with a 1-2 record. The Bulldogs topped UT-Martin 3-1 in Friday's tournament-opener.

"It was disappointing to come so close and then have those games slip away," said MSU head coach Brenda Bowlin. "We've got to find a way to finish games."

Mississippi State hits the road this weekend to wrap up early-season tournament competition, traveling to West Lafayette, Ind., Sept. 12-13 for the Purdue/Mortar Board Invitational.

MSU/Ramada In Classic All-Tournament Team
Amy Walk (APSU), Sarah Schramka (APSU), Jennifer Rousey (MSU), Rebecca Palmer (UT-Martin), Nicki Tribble-MVP (USM), Andrea Bush (USM).

Source: MSU Media Relations

09/06/03
Soccer
STARKVILLE, Miss. ­ Visiting Southwest Missouri State (0-1-2) got a bevy of help from the woodwork and fought off seven shots on goal in battling the Mississippi State soccer team (2-0-1) to a scoreless double overtime tie Friday evening at the Mississippi State Soccer Field.

The Maroon and White fired off 14 shots in the game, five of which either caught a direct piece of the post or crossbar. The Bulldog defense shone through brightly for the third time in as many games, limiting the Bears to six shots in four periods of play, including a complete blanking of SMS in the first overtime period. Freshman goalkeeper Luisa Marzotto recorded two saves in collecting her first career shutout for MSU.

"We created several opportunities for ourselves tonight, but we could have done a better job in finishing them," said Mississippi State head coach Neil McGuire. "I give Southwest Missouri State a lot of credit though. They played a game that we were not prepared for and they played very disciplined."

Mississippi State will return to action on Sunday afternoon when the Bulldogs continue a four-game homestand by hosting Florida International in a 1 p.m. game at the Mississippi State Soccer Field. Admission to all 2003 Mississippi State Soccer home games is free of charge.

SCORING SUMMARY
At Starkville, Miss. (MSU Soccer Field)
SW Missouri State 0 0 0 0 - 0
Mississippi State 0 0 0 0 - 0
Shots: SMS 6 (Morris 2), MSU 14 (Five Players With 2). Shots On Goal: SMS 3 (Three Players), MSU 7 (D'Hollander 2). Saves: SMS 7 (Stormo 4), MSU 3 (Marzotto 2). Fouls: SMS 10, MSU 14. Cautions And Ejections: MSU April Berry (105:36, Language). Att. ­ 621.

Source: MSU Media Relations

09/04/03
Men's Tennis
STARKVILLE, Miss. ­ Mississippi State has three men's tennis players in the 2003-04 preseason national individual rankings, released Wednesday by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.

Leading the way for the Bulldogs is Romain Ambert. The senior from Toulouse, France, who has been ranked as high as No. 3 nationally during his career, is No. 11 in singles in Wednesday's poll. A two-time, all-America selection, Ambert has compiled a remarkable 79-30 overall singles record during his career. He is 31-10 at the No. 1 position in the lineup and will return as the Bulldogs' top player again this season. He was also a first-team, all-SEC selection for the third straight campaign in 2003.

Ambert is joined in the preseason singles rankings by fellow senior Max Fomine, who garnered the highest ranking of his career, coming in 84th. Fomine had the best year of his career in 2002-03, posting a team-leading 22 singles victories (22-13 record).

In the doubles rankings, State had one pair on the list. Ambert and sophomore Florent Girod came in at No. 47 as a tandem. Though the two have never played a match together, Ambert has been ranked as high as 12th in the country in doubles during his career.

Source: MSU Media Relations

09/01/03
Soccer
STARKVILLE, Miss. ­ Following one of the most successful opening weekends in school history, the Mississippi State soccer team was one of 12 teams to be included in the NSCAA Central Region rankings released Monday afternoon by the organization.

Mississippi State, along with SMU, Mississippi and Oklahoma, found themselves in a tie for ninth in the initial regular season ranking. The appearance is State's first since the 2002 preseason poll and it follows a weekend in which MSU started off 2-0 after a pair of very convincing victories.

NSCAA CENTRAL REGION RANKINGS (September 1)

T1. Texas A&M (2-0-0) ­ Def. TCU, 6-0; Def. SMU, 3-1
T2. Denver (2-0-0) ­ Def. Northern Colorado, 3-0; Def. Portland, 4-3 OT
3. Nebraska (2-0-0) ­ Def. DePaul, 1-0; Def. Iowa, 3-0
4. Tennessee (2-0-0) ­ Def. UCSB, 1-0; Def. Fresno State, 3-1
5. Texas (1-1-0) ­ Def. East Carolina, 5-3; Lost to Duke, 2-3
6. Missouri (2-0-0) ­ Def. Iowa, 3-0; Def. Northwestern, 2-0
7. Colorado (1-1-0) ­ Lost to Portland, 0-1; Def. Georgia, 2-1 OT
8. Kansas (2-0-0) ­ Def. Northwestern, 4-1; Def. Evansville, 2-0
T9. SMU (1-1-0) ­ Def. Sam Houston State, 10-1; Lost to Texas A&M, 1-3
T9. Mississippi (2-0-0) ­ Def. South Alabama, 6-0; Def. Memphis, 7-0
T9. Mississippi State (2-0-0) ­ Def. Memphis, 3-1; Def. South Alabama, 5-0
T9. Oklahoma (2-0-0) ­ Def. Arkansas, 3-1; Def. New Mexico, 2-1 OT

"Again, I was very pleased with today's performance," said head coach Neil McGuire. "Our team dictated the tempo and discipline of the game and showed discipline in retaining offensive balance."

Mississippi State will again be in action on Friday evening when the Maroon and White hosts Florida International in a twilight game at the Mississippi State Soccer Field. The contest will mark the first official evening competition in the history of their home facility.

SCORING SUMMARY
At Starkville, Miss. (MSU Soccer Field)
South Alabama 0 0 - 0
Mississippi State 3 2 - 5

Shots: USA 2 (Beckwith, Brubeck), MSU 18 (Suh, Peterson, Ondra 3). Corner Kicks: USA 4, MSU 4. Saves: USA 8 (Angermeier 6), MSU 1 (Team). Fouls: USA 6, MSU 10. Att. ­ 392.

Source: MSU Media Relations