All Hogs

Razorbacks control destiny after comeback win over No. 13 Mississippi State

Arkansas puts together stellar second half to jump Bulldogs in SEC standings
Daniel Shi|
Arkansas forward Kyndal Ewertz with the ball against the Mississippi State. Ewertz scored two goals as part of a 4-2 win.
Arkansas forward Kyndal Ewertz with the ball against the Mississippi State. Ewertz scored two goals as part of a 4-2 win. | Beau Rogers - Arkansas Athletics

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Arkansas RazorbacksMississippi State Bulldogs

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Less than 10 minutes into a derby for first place in the SEC between No. 7 Arkansas and No. 13 Mississippi State, the Bulldogs looked to be sauntering their way to an easy win with two early goals. The Razorbacks scored four straight to engineer a comeback and lead the conference with 16 points,

The Hogs are one point ahead of Tennessee with four games to go in the regular season.

Arkansas used two goals from Kyndal Ewertz to lead the charge. Ewertz scored multiple goals for the first time in her career and now ties Zoe Susi and Vailana Tu'ua for the team lead with four.

"I felt like she's going to score four more," coach Colby Hale said about Ewertz. "She could not be stopped. Their center backs were tired. Their legs got heavy and I thought Kyndal was a heavy leg destroyer. They wanted wanted no part of it."

Arkansas cut the deficit in half on a penalty kick from Zoe Susi in the 34th minute after a handball against the Bulldogs.

Molly Teed set up Ewertz for the equalizer less than two minutes into the second half with a long run up the right side before sliding a cross into the box. Ewertz caught the ball on her right foot and snuck it inside the near post.

Taylor Berman scored her third goal of the season, all three of which were either game-winners or equalizers. Berman was up to the task again in the 57th minute.

After allowing goals on the counter early in the game, Ewertz's second goal put the game away with nine minutes left.

"Momentum is the really big thing in soccer," Ewertz said. "Hopefully this game will keep [us] going. I hope our whole team keeps this up too because we played really well on our team tonight."

The Hogs sealed a revenge win after the Bulldogs beat the Hogs 1-0 last year in Starkville, Mississippi.

"They're very good," Hale said. "It's not personal, but I'd be lying if I said somewhere in the back of our heads game wasn't circled."

Mississippi State exposed Arkansas twice on the counter attack early in the game. Midfielder Adia Symmonds played a long ball forward which forward Zoe Main caught up with ahead of the defender Avery Wren, leaving a 1-on-1 situation with Arkansas keeper Evelyn Vitali.

Less than five minutes later, midfielder Tatum Borman worked around two defenders and got off a clean strike over the outstretched hands of Vitali in goal.

The Razorbacks slowly wore the Bulldogs down with their depth. Twenty outfield players saw the pitch for the Hogs, 19 of whom played at least 10 minutes.

"Everyone says you have it and then no one uses it." Hale said about depth. "We just used it. It was like, okay, someone's legs are a little heavy, let's play someone else."

Arkansas looks to maintain its lead against No. 17 Georgia on the road. Kick-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Thursday and will be streamed on SEC+.

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Daniel Shi
DANIEL SHI

Covers baseball, football and basketball for Arkansas Razorback on SI since 2023, previously writing for FanSided. Currently a student at the University of Arkansas. He’s been repeatedly jaded by the Los Angeles Angels since 2014. Probably silently humming along to whatever the band is playing in the press box. Follow me on X: @dsh12

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