​The No. 1 Lady Vols offense went silent Saturday, allowing Mississippi State to capitalize.

​Neither team scored for the first six innings, but a Bulldogs walk-off earned them a big 1-0 victory, ending the record-breaking 26-game perfect start for Tennessee (26-1, 4-1).

Mississippi State (27-3, 1-1) came to play on the pitching front, senior arm Peja Goold shutting down the Lady Vols’ offense all afternoon long. She finished her day with seven shutout innings, striking out ten batters and walking none.

​Tennessee’s first baserunner of the day came in the form of a hit by pitch in the top of the third inning. Following the leadoff runner, Maddi Ruttan struck out on four pitches, followed by another four-pitch strikeout of Bella Faw. With two outs, Sophia Knight grounded out to end the inning.

​Ruttan responded in the circle with a three-up, three-down bottom of the third to keep things at bay.

Leading off the fourth inning, more of the same lucky fortune came for the Lady Vols as Ella Dodge drew a free base. She advanced to second after a wild pitch, but Gabby Leach and Mackenzie Butt both struck out, changing the tide of the stanza. Emma Clarke grounded out to short, once again ending the frame and the threat.

​Knight tallied a one-out single in the top of the sixth, but was caught on the basepaths trying to swipe second. The Lady Vols came away empty.

​Erin Nuwer entered the game in the fifth inning and looked solid despite allowing two singles. Déjà vu struck once again for the Tennessee bats. Goold retired the Lady Vols in order during their last chance to find the scoreboard.

A nine-pitch battle ensued in the home half of the seventh, but Nuwer came up on the losing end. Mississippi State redshirt freshman Taylor Troutman connected on a ball to center field, sticking the dagger in Tennessee’s perfection. 

The Lady Vols will look for redemption in the rubber match of the series on March 15.