Weekend Roundup: Breaking Down Mississippi’s Breathtaking Weekend

Mississippi State Soccer Upsets No. 1 Tennessee in SEC Opener

In soccer’s biggest upset this weekend, Mississippi State handed top-ranked Tennessee its first loss of the season with a dramatic 3–2 win in Starkville. The Bulldogs opened the scoring in the 11th minute, only to see the Volunteers respond with two goals early in the second half. Bulldogs star Ally Perry was able to right the ship, delivering a performance that may be the best of the season. 

Perry stood out as an absolute beast on the field. After scoring the equalizer in the 74th minute, she returned before the final whistle with a left-footed strike from outside the box to win the game. Overall, Perry finished with two goals and an assist, a career high. She now boasts 15 career assists and eight career game-winning goals, both of which now have her tied for third in school history. With Perry at the helm, MSU continues its success story with a 6–1–0 record.

Jackson State’s First Shutout Since 2022 

The Jackson State Tigers dominated every quarter of Saturday’s game, ending in a 30–0 win over Tuskegee at the W.C. Gorden Classic. The Tigers’ defense was a masterclass in defensive maneuvering, holding Tuskegee to just 109 yards of total offense on 40 plays that afternoon. 

Freshman quarterback Jared Lockhart played an incredible game. In his first collegiate start, Lockhart accounted for three touchdowns. He finished 15-of-21 for 254 yards, throwing one interception and being sacked just once. Wide receivers Koube Paul and Jameel Gardner Jr. combined for over 160 yards receiving, and the Tigers’ offense racked up 522 total yards. 

Millsaps Volleyball Earns Fifth Sweep 

The Millsaps Majors volleyball team continued their string of sweeps with a 3–0 sweep of Centenary College, winning by set scores of 25–20, 25–14, and 25–9. The final set was particularly dominant, as the Centenary scored a mere nine points.

Ally Baer led the offense with nine kills, and Rachel Zamjahn led the Majors in assists. Olivia Danos claimed four serving aces in a particularly strong game. The Millsaps team was working in near-perfect synchronicity this weekend, allowing for the fifth sweep. 

MGCCC Overtakes Jones in a “Typically Stressful Way”

In what Gulf Coast coach Jack Wright called a “slugfest,” No. 6 Mississippi Gulf Coast rallied from a first-half deficit to defeat Jones College 28–24 at Sim Cooley Field. MGCCC’s latest win marks their seventh time defeating the Jones College Bobcats. The game was delayed for about 90 minutes after a stadium lighting issue, but the Bulldogs clearly were able to recover after a hectic and somewhat sloppy start. 

The Bulldogs tied the game at 21 on the opening drive of the second half. They then went 75 yards in 15 plays, capped by Jayden Acker making his first college reception for a 2-yard touchdown from Landon Varnes.

Jones then kicked a field goal to retake the lead, and the Bulldogs defense stopped the Bobcats after a midfield interception. Varnes executed a perfect next drive, finding Mason Beverly across the middle on the third play for a 73-yard catch-and-scamper touchdown that turned out to be the final score of the game.

Author contributor Faith Ellington