Ole Miss opened SEC play Friday night with the kind of match that never really settled into a rhythm, and Mississippi State took full advantage of the chaos.
The Rebels fell 4-1 at home, a night that started with promise, swung back their way in the second half, and then unraveled after a red card changed everything.
Mississippi State struck first in the 19th minute when Laila Murillo finished a pass from Chiara Tappe to give the Bulldogs an early lead. Ole Miss had chances to answer before halftime, putting four shots on goal and getting two solid looks from Isabella Pontieri, but Mississippi State goalkeeper Jenny Harrison kept the Rebels off the board through the opening 45.
SARAH. GRANNO. 😤
It's a tied game in Oxford after Sarah Granno scores one for the Rebs! pic.twitter.com/qNiGrGuSCS
— Ole Miss Soccer (@OleMissSoccer) September 12, 2026
Ole Miss finally broke through in the 56th minute. Sarah Granno stepped into a shot from outside the box and buried the equalizer off a pass from Cassidy Kuehne. It was Granno’s second goal of the season and Kuehne’s first assist, and for a moment it felt like the Rebels had wrestled momentum back.
That moment didn’t last long.
Ole Miss went down to 10 players in the 69th minute after a red card, and Mississippi State needed only 18 seconds to punish it. Kati Anne Shepherd scored to put the Bulldogs back in front, and from there the match tilted sharply their way. Kara Harris added another in the 81st minute, and Murillo converted a penalty in the 85th to close out the scoring.
Mississippi State finished with a 13-11 edge in shots and put eight on frame. Ole Miss placed seven on goal, earned five corner kicks and held 54 percent of the possession. Taylor Prigge made three saves.
Ole Miss will try to regroup before heading to Auburn on Friday. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. on SECN+.
