ITTA BENA, Miss. -- In a more than perfect weather condition for soccer, the Mississippi Valley State women's soccer team succumbed at home to second half pressure from the Lady Bison of Howard University, 3-1, at the MVSU Soccer Complex.

Howard mounted early pressure from the blast of the referee's whistle but couldn't find an early goal. The defensive unit of Josee Primeau, Alexis Mansoor, Heather Craddock and Hannah Scott thwarted the early forays of Howard. But MVSU settled rather quickly and began to take the contest to Howard. The game became a back and forth affair with most of the action happening at the middle of the field. MVSU began to take the ball to wide areas to expose Howard but could not convert the few chances that came their way. At the 29^th minute mark, Howard initiated an attack through the middle but the ensuing attack resulted in a corner kick. A failed first time clearance dropped the ball generously in front of Jeseca Hinds who slotted the ball into the net of MVSU to register the first goal of the afternoon.
 

If Valley needed a wakeup call, then this was it. Valley started swinging passes together to find openings to slot the ball into forwards Hailey Beekman and Nykosi Simmons. One of such attacks saw Haley Hendricks sending a defense splitting pass to Simmons who bulldozed her way through the defensive unit of Howard but her shot from an acute angle missed the goal narrowly to the relief of the Lady Bison and to the displeasure of the home fans.

But that was the beginning of good things to come. A combination play between Ernestina Abambila, Haley Hendricks and Heather Craddock on the right side of the field resulted in a foul in favor of the Devilettes. Josee Primeau elected herself to take the free kick. A teasing out swinger fell to Nykosi Simmons who lost her footing initially but recovered quickly enough to slot the ball past stranded Kyra Dickinson in goal for Howard to tie the game at one apiece with only six seconds left to play.
 

The second half followed the same pattern as the first with a lot of midfield battle. MVSU started to push players forward with both Andrea Kennedy and Alyse Marco joining the attack from the back any time there is an opportunity. A shot from Marco resulted in a corner kick to Valley in the 52^nd minute. The corner was cleared up field by Howard defensive line creating a 1v1 situation with Rita Gyasi in goal for Valley. Forward Nia Walcott of Howard kept her composure and lobbed the ball over Gyasi to register the second goal for Howard. MVSU mounted pressure upon pressure to get back into the game but it was Howard that registered a third in the 68^th minute.
 

Hendricks, Beekman, Simmons and Marco had shots on goal and Gyasi made six saves in the contest.

MVSU will return to action on Friday 10/3/14 as the host rivals Jackson State. Kick of is at 7pm.