STARKVILLE – A little over three months ago, the Mississippi State soccer team was gathered together in its clubhouse and looking ahead at the season to come.
There was understandable excitement. There was a determination. And according to head coach James Armstrong, there was an unmistakable confidence.
“There’s the old cliché, ‘Why not us?'” Armstrong explained. “But the belief in the room was different.”
Fast-forward to Saturday at the MSU Soccer Field and the same belief that was evident back in August continues to be rewarded.
State topped Providence College 1-0 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Maggie Wadsworth’s overtime goal was the difference as the Bulldogs won a postseason game on their home field for the second year in a row.
It was the latest chapter for a program that continues to elevate, and that elevation is apparent – not just because of numbers or records or expectations – but because of the belief that keeps growing within the group seemingly every passing day.
“I think we’ve just built a foundation every year and each year, we keep building on it and having more and more belief,” goalkeeper Maddy Anderson said. “Why not us? Why can’t we do [big things at Mississippi State]? Mississippi State can be a top team. I think the belief has just been built every year and each year we keep having more and more success. Last year, we had so many firsts and lots of history made. Then this year, we just get to build upon it and make even more history.”
Indeed, this is another historic unit, even before Saturday’s triumph. The Bulldogs had already put together the first back-to-back, 10-plus-win seasons since 1996 and 1997. They’d achieved their highest-ever ranking in the United Soccer Coaches poll at 18th. It all led to a program-best No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Armstrong, his staff and his players just keep blazing new trails in Starkville and building more and more belief. It’s overflowed to the stands and the community. That was evident once again on Saturday – even to the players from Providence.
“We knew this was going to be a big crowd here with lots of energy,” Avery Snead of the Friars said. “We’d heard about the cowbells coming in…Every once in a while [in the game], you’d hear the crowd and you’d look and be like, ‘Wow.'”
Other coaches have taken notice,…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Mississippi State…