STARKVILLE, Miss. — Lipscomb Women's Soccer earned a massive postseason victory on Saturday evening, taking down Mississippi State 1–0 on the road in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament. Behind a composed defensive performance and a moment of brilliance in the first half, the Bisons punched their ticket to the NCAA Second Round for the second time in program history.

Lipscomb opened the match on the front foot, pressing well and settling quickly into the flow of the game. Both sides traded early possessions, but the Bisons generated the first real rhythm, connecting through midfield and forcing Mississippi State into sustained defensive sequences.

The breakthrough arrived in the 28th minute, and it was a perfectly executed sequence. Sophomore Chloe Iliff delivered a long, driven ball over the top that split the Bulldog defense. Bella Carapazza brought it down with an elite first touch, slipped between two defenders, and calmly placed her shot into the bottom corner to give Lipscomb the 1–0 lead.

From there, Lipscomb's defensive unit took control. The back line—anchored by Rebekah Doolittle, Lauren Bennett and Lucy Hurst—stayed compact and disciplined, preventing Mississippi State from creating dangerous chances in the run of play. Goalkeeper Kaïna Cesar handled the Bulldogs' pressure with poise, making several key stops and commanding her box during a tense final stretch.

In the midfield, Carapazza and Tatum Ahlemeyer helped the Bisons manage tempo, win second balls, and limit Mississippi State's transition opportunities. Lipscomb held strong in the second half, and the single goal proved enough to send them to the second round, thanks to a complete team defensive performance.

After 90 minutes of disciplined, postseason-caliber soccer, the Bisons secured the shutout and advanced, knocking off an SEC opponent on its home field.

Lipscomb now advances to face No. 3 overall seed Florida State in the NCAA Second Round on Thursday, Nov. 20.