Last year was supposed to be the year the Lady Bulldogs made a run at the Southeastern Conference title.
It never happened.
However, with seven starters returning and a talented incoming freshman class, the Lady Dawgs believe this club has what it takes to challenge for SEC supremacy.
“I think this is the time, and there is no time like the present,” senior forward Ngum Suh said. “Just knowing how bad the seniors want it makes us push the younger girls and show them that we want it that bad, and hopefully they will want it just as bad.”
State opens the 2004 season tonight and will look to improve its 9-8-3 overall record and conference record of 2-5-2, which resulted in a fifth place finish in the SEC Western Division.
Defense once again looks to be the Bulldogs’ strong point. Last year MSU ranked second in the SEC in goals allowed (18) and fourth in goals against average (0.86). With three of four defensive starters retuning, the Bulldogs should repeat as one of the premier defensive units in the SEC.
“We have basically the same back line coming back and we have even more experience,” junior defender Heather Ammann said. “I think we are going to be as good as last year if not better.”
Along with Ammann, seniors Karen Sandrik, Morgan McDonald and sophomore Sara Moore will all anchor the flat back four Bulldog defense.
The one question mark on defense may be replacing 2003 SEC Freshman of the Year Luisa Marzotto. Marzotto led the SEC last year and dominated in goal last year for the Maroon and White recording 122 saves. She was also fourth in the SEC in shutouts with nine blankings.
Junior Emily Meyers and freshman Stephanie Dallas are both vying to replace Marzotto in goal.
Another major concern is how much consistency and production the Bulldog offense can provide.
Last year the Bulldogs ranked 11th in the SEC in both goals scored (24) and goals per game (1.20). MSU exceeded three goals in only two games during the course of the 2003 regular season.
“We do a lot of offensive drills and that is what we started out with at the beginning of the year,” Suh said. “Hopefully we will be able to implement what we have learned into the game situations.”
Suh, along with junior Betty Ann Casey and sophomore Heidi Ondra, should provide the Bulldogs with some much needed offensive experience and fire power.
As much as hard work and execution on the field will dictate how good this team can be, outworking the opponent may be the deciding factor for success.
“No matter how talented a team is, we have to win the first ball and challenge the second ball,” head coach Neil MacDonald said. “If you look at some of the results from the spring, we’re on an even field with a lot of these teams, we’re just getting outworked.”
The Lady Dawgs begin the 2004 season tonight at the Mississippi State Soccer Field as they host the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders at 7 p.m.
“I think that we are organized, and defensively we are strong. Offensively we have worked a lot on our pattern plays and we look better than I have ever seen us before,” MacDonald said. “Ultimately on the first night it is going to come to the desire to get out there and do the job.”
State concludes the weekend with another home match Sunday at 1 p.m. as the Lady Dawgs welcome Northwestern State to Starkville.