FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Fueled by a stout defensive performance and a game-winning goal by sophomore Ashley Ellenwood, the University of Arkansas soccer team put together a 1-0 shutout win against Southeastern Conference (SEC) foe Mississippi State (MSU) on Sunday at Razorback Field.

Ellenwood’s fourth game-winner of the season came at the 49:17 mark of the second half, while the Razorback defense limited the Bulldogs to just six shots on the day, including one in the second half.

Arkansas now stands at 9-4 on the season and 2-3 in SEC play, while Mississippi State slips to 3-9 and 0-5 in the SEC.

“This is a very important three points,” head coach Colby Hale said. “It wasn’t always pretty, but the player committed to the game plan and executed it perfectly. We showed great resilience after a tough result on Frida but that is one thing about this group, I never doubt their fight.”

Just one of MSU’s six shots was on frame, as the Razorback defense earned its sixth shutout of the year and second in SEC play. Freshman Taylor Erwin made his first career start in net and was forced to make one save. Erwin made another brilliant diving save midway through the second half, but it didn’t count due to a foul being called before the shot.

Ellenwood’s goal set the tone for the second half, as the Razorbacks controlled much of the play over the final 45 minutes evident by the 6-1 shot margin. The goal came in the 50th minute when Ellenwood collected a turnover on the MSU side of the field and worked her way to the upper left of the goal box where she fired a shot off the cross bar that just crossed the line. The goal was Ellenwood’s team-best sixth of the year, as Arkansas is now 6-0 this season when she scores.

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