Bulldogs knock off No. 16 ICC

PERKINSTON — Mississippi Gulf Coast got its biggest win of the season Tuesday, both in the MACCC women's soccer playoff race and by claiming its first win over a ranked opponent.

Kyla Smith (Fr., Hurley/East Central) scored twice in the second half to lead the Bulldogs to a 3-2 win over Itawamba at Bary Thrash Field.

"We knew Itawamba was coming down ranked 16^th in the country with only three losses, and they've been playing very well," Gulf Coast coach Ryan Joiner said. "We felt like it was evenly matched going into it. We had some good fortune, but in the end the girls worked hard even if we didn't play our best."

Gulf Coast improved to 8-5-1. The Bulldogs are 4-4-1 in the MACCC, good enough for fifth place temporarily. Itawamba (12-4, 4-4) is a point behind Copiah-Lincoln and Gulf Coast, but the Indians will play a makeup game Wednesday against Hinds, which is winless in the conference.

Isabella Reynolds (Fr., Pascagoula/Pascagoula) got the opening goal in the 22nd minute. Her strike from distance looped over the keeper.

Smith got her first goal eight minutes after halftime, tapping in a ball on the top of the 6-yard box after it was recycled from a corner kick.

Itawamba answered eight minutes later, but Smith responded in the 65^th minute. Morgan Pickering (So., Wiggins/Stone) picked up her third assist with a wonderful cross from the left win. Smith was waiting on the far side and her shot rifled off the crossbar behind the line for a 3-1 lead. 

"We told her at halftime to take it up another level," Joiner said. "All the girls were fatigued with a weird three o'clock kickoff. She turned it up, and I'm proud of her for her work ethic."

Itawamba scored with six minutes left, but the Bulldogs were able to hold on.

Gulf Coast, which won its home finale, plays the first of two road games to end the regular season. The Bulldogs travel to Raymond on Friday to play Hinds, then close the season next Tuesday with a trip to Southwest.

They'll have a big feather in their cap, having knocked off a top-20 team for the first time this year.

"It means progress," Joiner said. "We've been fighting against teams all year. It seems like every other team we played has been ranked in the top 15. It gets us seen at a high level, which is important for recruiting. It gives our girls confidence going into our last two games and hopefully the playoffs."

For more information on MGCCC's 11 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCBulldogs on Twitter and MGCCCBulldogs on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.