STARKVILLE – What do sharks’ teeth and Mississippi State soccer have in common? A lot more than you think. And it’s that similarity that has the Bulldogs hosting an NCAA Tournament game for just the second time in program history.
On Friday, State will battle New Mexico State at 3 p.m. at the MSU Soccer Field. It comes on the heels of a year in which the Dawgs notched 11 wins and earned its highest ranking ever in the United Soccer Coaches’ Poll.
What none of that tells you though is just how much this group had to overcome to earn the opportunity that’s now in front of them.
“I don’t think anyone can really realize unless they’re in our group, the amount of adversity and disappointment we’ve had to deal with along the way,” MSU head coach James Armstrong said. “Even with big wins, there was always some kind of setback from an injury standpoint – and losing really key players.”
Injuries are a part of sports. But when they happen all at once to some of your team’s biggest pieces, well that’s the kind of stuff that could derail a season.
Goalkeeper Maddy Anderson – who became the soccer program’s career shutouts leader earlier in the season – hasn’t played in over month after exiting early in an October 6 game against South Carolina.
It’s been more than two months since Bulldog fifth-year defender Andrea Tyrell played. She was hurt back on September 4 in a win over Louisiana Tech. Tyrell is one of just two MSU players remaining from State’s 2018 NCAA Tournament team.
The other – defender Miranda Carrasco – has had a lengthy absence as well after sustaining an injury in a victory at Texas A&M in late September.
Oh, but there’s been more. Sophomore midfielder Ally Perry – who came on strong in her debut season last year, even once winning an SEC Freshman of the Week award – was hurt in late August. Junior forward Elle McCaslin has been out since September 30.
Through it all, the Dawgs never gave in. They just kept right on pushing, which brings us back to sharks’ teeth and a lesson MSU players learned last summer during an offseason training regimen dubbed The Program that helped State develop leadership qualities and grow together. An instructor shared this:
“Sharks’ teeth fall out all the time and just another one grows back,” midfielder and captain Alyssa D’Aloise recalled. “That’s the…
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