Bulldog Roundup: What Mississippi State soccer coach said after first win

New Mississippi State soccer coach Nick Zimmerman picked up his first career win this week when the No. 21 Bulldogs defeated Jacksonville State 3-0.

Afterwards, Zimmerman held a post-game press conference. Here's everything he said:

Nick, I know it probably took longer than you wanted it to, but how did it feel when that first goal went in for you?

Yeah, I mean, you know, we talked to the girls, right? I mean, the other team’s organized. Jackson State did a really good job. We had chances in the first half and sometimes it just takes a little bit longer. Again, we talked about the performance being the most important thing, and results will come if we're doing the right things. So, we told the girls at halftime to continue doing what they were doing. I think we could have upgraded our chances a little bit better. We took some half chances in the first half, and if we make the extra pass, it's a better look. But I’m proud of the group. They continue to fight, and that’s part of a young group—finding these moments and understanding how to navigate through them.

Ally was very active in all three goals. Just talk about her progress.

Yeah. I mean, Ally’s one of the leaders of this team, and the way that we want to play is free-flowing and constantly interchanging and moving players around. So, she's going to find herself in some good spots. And Ally does what Ally does—she creates chances and gives players opportunities to score goals.

You had a lot of great deliveries on corners tonight and one finally fell in the right spot. Could you talk about the work the team does on that?

Yeah. Coach Cat and Coach John have really emphasized set pieces, and we’ve gone back to basics. I’ll be honest, I still don’t think it was anywhere near good enough. I think we had nine or 10 corners and we scored on one, but there were some really good deliveries. We've got to continue to work on that because, as you know, set pieces are massive in this game and can decide games.

It’s not every day you get a back to have two assists and a goal. Just talk about that performance.

Yeah, Nai’s been really intentional with her whole holistic approach—how she goes into training and games. It’s been great to see. We’re still continuing to learn and develop as a group, so the chemistry is building. I’m really happy for her—she’s earned that—and hopefully she can continue to take confidence from it.

Jacksonville State—you knew they’d be a good test for you, and they were. How does this prepare you for the next one?

Yeah, I mean, with the rainout last week, this was literally our first game. First games are always filled with anxious nerves. This was a great opportunity to come out and try to implement the things we’ve been working on. From a holistic approach, we had the ball the entire time, and that’s something we want to continue to pursue each game. Credit to them, though. They were organized, and it takes longer when a team sits in like that. But it was a great opportunity for us to get better. We know we have a really good opponent coming in on Sunday, and we’ll look at the film, recover, and be ready.

You had a lot of forwards get playing time tonight as well as in the exhibition games. Could you talk about the depth you have at that position?

Yeah, we have a smaller roster by design. Quite a few players got minutes tonight—important minutes. That’s something we’ll continue to build on. It’s constantly about rotating players who are playing well and earning opportunities. I’m really proud of the work they’ve put in. Like I said, it’s a young group, so every minute, every opportunity helps us long-term.

Ally’s going to get hers, but in a night like tonight she can also be a decoy. How big is it to get a 3–0 result and have others score?

I think if you look at it from the spring to now, the way our system’s designed, multiple players can hurt you. Multiple players are going to get opportunities to score. We had three chances in the last minute and a half that could have gone in. It’s a testament to the system and the trust in what we’re building. It’s great to see Ally do what she does and others step up to help the team.

We saw Aia go off. How’s she doing?

Just hydration. We’ll get back to the drawing board with her, but for the minutes she gave, she was fantastic. She can play a number of different roles for us. When I went on the field to get her off, she said, “I promise I was hydrated.” So her and I will deal with that after the game.

Yesterday’s Results

No games played.

Today’s Schedule

Volleyball: Memphis vs. Mississippi State (exhibition), 1 p.m.

Did You Notice?

ICYMI: Former Mississippi State coach Jackie Sherrill weighs in on SEC’s nine-game format

Countdown until Mississippi State’s Season Opener

7 days

Daily Dose Of Mike Leach

I just go to work every day, spend hours in the film room, go to practice, go home and then do it all again the next day. I know I can be boring and I sound like a walking cliche but I really do just try to get our team ready to win a game on Saturday. That's pretty much my life.
Mike Leach

We’ll Leave You With This

You can’t make this stuff up 🤯

MLB All-Star, World Series Champion, and @HailStateBB legend, Mitch Moreland, walked it off for the Party Animals pic.twitter.com/JvmpCIwdjA
— The Party Animals (@ThePrtyAnimals) August 23, 2025