Mississippi State soccer looks to start anew in 2022 after heartbreaking 2021 season – The Dispatch

A tiebreaker.

That’s what separated Mississippi State ladies’s soccer from a spot within the Southeastern Convention match final season.

Regardless of being tied on factors and report in SEC play with Florida, the Gators superior to Orange Seashore, Alabama, whereas the Bulldogs’ season ended. That tiebreaker has became one thing good for this program: motivation heading into the 2022 season.

“Final 12 months was an attention-grabbing 12 months,” head coach James Armstrong mentioned. “It was undoubtedly essentially the most proficient group we’ve had since I’ve been right here, essentially the most dedicated group that we’ve had since I’ve been right here, however we simply fell brief.”

Of final season’s 16 matches, simply three have been determined by two objectives or extra. Mississippi State was nicely inside hanging distance of each match performed — even these towards the powers of the SEC, together with Arkansas and Tennessee, each of which have been hard-fought losses on the street.

It was just a few issues right here and there that made the distinction ultimately, however for a group just like the Bulldogs, these minute particulars made the eventual distinction.

“The problem for the returning gamers is can we simply pay nearer consideration to the little particulars that make such a giant distinction, whether or not it’s a clearance, attacking a ball within the field, having the mentality to attain once we’re by way of on aim,” Armstrong mentioned. “These are type of the little issues that we’re speaking about taking the following step.”

Early on, Armstrong talked closely in regards to the preparations for this season, one thing that began with a spring schedule that included Auburn and Alabama, and now preseason exercises.

One thing of observe is the incoming class for the Bulldogs this season, a seven-player freshman class that’s already being touted as probably the greatest in program historical past.

“It’s an excellent mix of expertise and recent, new faces which are raring to go,” Armstrong mentioned. “The freshman class that got here was one of the best ready freshman class that we’ve had since we’ve been right here. … We knew they have been a particular class.”

That combination of expertise and youth performs nicely for Mississippi State, and in the case of expertise, there’s no higher place to start out than all-SEC second-team choice Maddy Anderson.

The junior goalkeeper was one in all 13 goalkeepers named to the United Soccer Coaches 2022 Preseason Watch Record — and for good motive.

She’s probably the greatest keepers within the convention and within the nation, and this distinction solely provides to her present trophy case, one which additionally consists of SEC all-freshman group honors in 2020.

“I’m actually excited for this 12 months,” Anderson mentioned. “The group could be very devoted, and we’re nearer than ever, which I believe could be very useful in having the ability to have that mindset that we need to win the whole lot and we need to go far.”

The veteran presence on this group is robust, with six fifth-year gamers presently on board, together with new UTEP switch Jojo Ngongo. Whereas these gamers shall be relied upon as leaders, there appears to be a tradition shift in Starkville.

Over the summer season, the group participated in a strenuous offseason program they known as ‘The Program’, which centered on team-building actions and group communication. The hope from that is that from this, any participant will really feel assured sufficient to step up.

“That helped us notice as captains that we will hand a few of that accountability all the way down to underclassmen and assist them rise to the event,” fifth-year defender Andrea Tyrrell mentioned. “There’s a variety of stress on us, however we all know that we’ve our group to depend on to assist with that.”

Tyrrell heads a strong again line for the Bulldogs, and like Anderson, she was an all-SEC Second Crew choice in 2021 and named to the United Soccer Coaches 2022 Preseason Watch Record in early August.

Mississippi State was in the midst of the pack when it got here to conceding objectives throughout convention play final season, permitting 15, however it was the offense that struggled as soon as the SEC schedule began, tied for the second-least objectives throughout convention video games with 10.

Extra assist up prime might very nicely be the distinction between falling simply wanting the SEC match and making it. As anticipated, this 12 months’s schedule shall be troublesome, going through Arkansas and Ole Miss, amongst others.

Nevertheless, a formidable nonconference schedule together with the likes of Miami, Minnesota, Louisiana Tech and Southern Miss goes to set the tone early.

“We’re all the time anticipating a variety of competitors proper off the bat going into SEC play,” second-year captain and junior midfielder Macey Hodge mentioned. “It’s simply completely different in comparison with different conferences, however I believe our non-conference schedule units us up even higher than prior to now.”

Each follow, weight room session and sport movie session has been performed internally, and it has all led to Thursday’s exhibition match towards Samford.

Mississippi State has two exhibition matches earlier than its season opener at Miami.

“The group has made an excellent dedication to coming again fitter than ever with an excellent mentality and bringing optimistic vitality,” Armstrong mentioned. “This has been essentially the most well-prepared group we’ve had since we’ve been right here, so we’ve been in a position to do much more with them in coaching. It’s an excellent start line; the starvation is there.”