Borman’s Late Winner Advances Bulldogs In SEC Tournament

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Mississippi State advanced in the SEC Tournament with a 1-0 victory over Oklahoma on Sunday night thanks to an 89th-minute winner from Tatum Borman.

The Bulldog freshman played 35 minutes off the bench and made every one of them count. She fired off three shots, all on frame, culminating with her unassisted winner. Borman received a throw in and dribbled past two defenders before shooting from the top of the box for a successful strike off the crossbar.

"I'm really proud of the way we played tonight. You know from the start of the game, we created some really good chances," head coach Nick Zimmerman said. "We played our style of football. You know, we wanted to have it. We dominated possession, and we created really good chances. Credit to this group and the resiliency to keep fighting and score an absolute worldly to win the game. Really, really proud of the group, and now we rest and recover as we get ready to play against a really good Arkansas team."

State's goal came on its 21st shot of the night. MSU (11-5-1, 5-4-1 SEC) was on the attack from the kickoff. Alivia Buxton and Kyra Taylor put the Bulldogs' first shots on frame in the second and seventh minutes, respectively. Taylor found herself alone in front of net in the 11th minute thanks to crisp passing from Ally Perry and Kennedy Husbands, but her shot was wide. That proved to be State's best chance of the first half.

Mississippi State possessed the ball for 67 percent of the first half. The Bulldogs outshot the Sooners (10-5-4, 3-4-3 SEC), 11-4, in the first half and earned six corners to Oklahoma's one.

Out of the break, Zoe Main had an early chance in the 47th minute, and the Bulldogs put two more shots on target in quick succession within the first five minutes of the second half.

Borman's goal (88:48) was State's latest game-winning goal in regulation in its postseason history, surpassing Rylie Combs' winner in the NCAA Tournament against New Mexico State in 2022 (87:03). MSU's 22 shots and 11 shots on goal were both program records in the SEC Tournament, and State is already more than two-thirds of the way to its single-season SEC Tournament shot record (27).

The Bulldogs will now turn their attention to No. 4 Arkansas in a matchup of the last two SEC Regular Season Champions. Mississippi State continues its postseason journey at 4:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday, Nov. 4. The match will air on the SEC Network.

For more information on the Bulldog soccer program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSOC."

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