FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Arkansas women’s soccer team played Mississippi State on Oct. 5 at Razorback Field. The game was a grueling matchup between the two teams with Arkansas taking the win by a 4-2 margin.
This game was an important match for two players on opposite sides of the pitch. Razorback Soccer Player Natalie Wagner and Mississippi State Player Kennedy Husbands have a history of playing soccer together from before college. Both players went to Midlothian High School in Texas.
From playing on the same high school team and through the same club, “Me and Kennedy were really close during the season,” Wagner said.
Coming from the same soccer background and going to the next level to play for different teams can create tension between both teams. For Wagner and Husbands, they were connected through the same organizations and systems. They both played for the FC Dallas ECNL soccer program in Texas.
Both players trained within the same system and same coaching techniques, which can help explain how both players became D1 athletes. Both athletes won their district and area championships for Midlothian.
During the game on Oct. 5, Wagner faced Husbands in the matchup. Playing an old teammate takes strength and motivation, due to the knowledge of how good the other player is.
“The competitiveness was definitely there, and I feel like this game meant more to me and to my team because of the bond I had with my former teammate,” Wagner said.
Mississippi State Player Kennedy Husbands (left). Arkansas Traveler Photographer // Bea Furlow
With tension arising for the Razorbacks, State took the lead early on. “Nerves were kicking in” but that did not stop Arkansas from losing their confidence, they had to “fight ‘til the end and win,” Wagner said.
The Razorbacks will continue their pursuit of a conference title with four more games remaining until the SEC tournament. Sitting 5-0-1 in the SEC ranking so far, the team has big plans to stay in the top spot. Next up, Arkansas will be playing Georgia, Alabama, Missouri, and Oklahoma, which will determine where the Razorbacks stand for the SEC tournament on Nov. 2-9.
At the beginning of the game on Sunday, State came out hot at Razorback Field.
Head Coach Colby Hale Women’s Soccer. Arkansas Traveler Photographer // Bea Furlow
“Do not leave anything left in the tank,” Head Coach Colby Hale said in a hype video from the Razorback Soccer Instagram.
Starting off the score for the Razorbacks, Taylor Berman was fouled inside the penalty box within the 34th minute, ending in a kick by senior Zoe Susi shooting straight into the bottom left of the goal, right past Mississippi State’s goalie.
In the second half is when Arkansas turned on the heat, scoring three goals to take the lead. Starting the second half off, freshman Molly Teed placed a perfect ball for sophomore Kyndal Ewertz, scoring her first goal of the game. Around 10 minutes later, forward Taylor Berman headed in a free kick. For the final score of the game, which was also her second goal of the game, Ewertz shot all the way from the top of the 18-yard box.
The win elevated Arkansas to the top of the SEC standings.
“It’s not about how you start, it’s how you finish,” Kyndal Ewertz said in a hype video on the Razorback Soccer Instagram page.