JACKSON - The Millsaps Majors Men's Soccer team were back at Harper Davis Field on a cool Tuesday night as they took on their cross town rivals, the Mississippi College Choctaws. The Majors picked up their fourth win of the season by defeating the No. 5 team in the region and the No. 1 team in the American Southwest, 3-0.
The Choctaws (7-4) came out hot against Millsaps, controlling the beginning of the game with six shots in the first 25 minutes of play.
However, the Majors (4-6-2) struck first and seized momentum when senior Taylor Harrison struck a deflected pass from outside of the box to score his second goal of the season. The Majors held the 1-0 lead in the 25th minute.
Mississippi College was eager to find the equalizer in the last minutes of the half. However, the Major defense was strong holding off the Choctaws led by Harrison, senior Alex Szabo, sophomore Christopher Lawrence, and freshman Daniel Staursky. The Majors went into the half holding on to their 1-0 lead.
Millsaps came out ready to score in the second half. Freshman Matt Crooker sent a corner into the box that went off the head of Staursky and found sophomore Chucky Hayden who picked up his third goal of the season in the 46th minute of play.
The Majors took control during the second half keeping the Choctaws off the scoreboard throughout the period.
Senior Hunter Creech put Mississippi College away for the night as he headed through his second goal of the season off the assists from Senior Michael Pellissier and Harrison in the 77th minute.
In their last four games, the Majors have not allowed a goal in three of those games. The Majors also became only the second team this season to hand MC a shutout loss. The only other team to do that is the No. 1 team in the nation, the Trinity Tigers.
Along with the Major defense, senior goalkeeper Stephen Andrieu was terrific in goal with seven saves for his fourth clean sheet of the season.
Offensively, Harrison had a goal and an assist to lead the way for Millsaps. Freshman Lucas Elmhammar fired off two shots and created offensive opportunities throughout the night.
The Major return to action on Friday as they welcome in the Rhodes Lynx in Southern Athletic Association play. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
