Bulldogs lose close contest to nation’s top team

Mississippi Gulf Coast shook off the shock of losing in the state championship game and gave top-ranked Tyler all it wanted Friday night in a NJCAA South District playoff game, falling 2-0 on a pair of late goals.

"We played hard," Gulf Coast coach Chris Handy said. "In the second half, we just ran out of gas. Against a team like that, you have to play perfect. Apart from finishing a few chances we had, we were pretty close."

The Bulldogs, who finish the season 15-3, played without Jordan Hall being at 100 percent. The nation's second-leading scorer had been ill for two days and wasn't able to play for more than a few minutes at a time.

They also lost some key players to injuries during the physical contest.

"I'm super proud of those guys," Handy said. "They made me proud, they made the league proud. They wanted the game. I think they showed they belong. We wanted to go out and put pressure on them and give them a challenge."

The Bulldogs have a measuring stick to use as they enter the offseason. The team will lose only three players from their regular starting lineup.

The talented returning players have a better game to end their season on than the MACJC championship game, plus they see where they stack up against the nation's best team

"We get the bad taste out of our mouth," Handy said. "It allows us to work toward something in the offseason and understand where we're trying to get to. It sets a goal for us. We look forward to the opportunity of playing them again."

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