SEASON PREVIEW | 2017 HAIL STATE SOCCER time in the backfield for MSU over their previous three years, while junior Courtney Robicheaux has played over 3,100 minutes for the Bulldogs in just two years. Senior Kaleigh Henry and sophomore Emily Malone also return, giving the Bulldogs plenty of veteran leadership on the defensive end of the field. Rhylee DeCrane returns in goal for the Bulldogs after not seeing the field a year ago. Joining the goalkeepers is graduate transfer Catalina Perez, who comes in after three years at Miami (Fla.). Perez also has two years of international experience with the Colombian Women’s National Team, where she has made appearances in both the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics. Washington freshman Bri Aldridge rounds out the keepers unit for Anagnost’s first MSU club. Aldridge had a successful high school career, holding her high school’s shutouts record and she could see time in front of the net for the Bulldogs this season. Anagnost’s first season kicks off with a pair of exhibition games at Florida (Wednesday, Aug. 9) and at home against Memphis (Friday, Aug. 11) that will help prepare the club for difficult opposition throughout the year.
One of the newcomers that has a chance to see early playing time is junior Brooke McKee, who transferred in from Troy. McKee scored eight goals in her first two seasons of college soccer with the Trojans. She was also a finalist for Alabama’s Gatorade Player of the Year honor as a senior. Also, Olivia Hernandez, a transfer from Arizona State was a prolific scorer in high school, scoring a district-record 141 goals in her four years.
The regular season will then kick off on Friday, Aug. 18 at home against first-time opponent Stephen F. Austin. Then, on Sunday, Aug. 20, the Bulldogs will host Missouri State before taking a trip to Ruston, Louisiana to take on Louisiana Tech on Aug. 24. MSU will then return home to play three straight home matches against opponents new to MSU in Central Arkansas (Aug. 27), Houston (Sept. 1) and Colgate (Sept. 3). The Maroon and White will then get back on the road and travel to South Florida in Tampa on Thursday, Sept. 7. MSU will then return back to Starkville to host 2016 NCAA Tournament participant South Alabama on Sunday, Sept. 10 to round out the non-conference slate.
MSU’s midfield is one of the more veteran areas on the team, with two-time minutes leader Carly Mauldin returning as a junior. Katelyn Watson and Kelly Dorney also return as seniors to help Mauldin and junior Kiley Martens provide leadership to the young Bulldog squad. MSU also added Clinton, Mississippi native Hayden Oswalt, who comes from Sam Houston State.
MSU will kick off SEC play at Arkansas on Friday, Sept. 15. The Bulldogs will host Missouri (Sept. 21), Auburn (Sept. 29), Kentucky (Oct. 8) and in-state rival Ole Miss (Oct. 22), while Texas A&M (Oct. 26) will serve as the regular season finale. In addition to the trip to Arkansas, the Bulldogs will also visit LSU (Sept. 24), South Carolina (Oct. 5), Alabama (Oct. 15) and Georgia (Oct. 19).
Freshman Grace Doran comes in as a capable goal scorer for the midfield unit, having scored 12 goals and had 22 assists as a junior in high school in Michigan.
If the Bulldogs can survive its gauntlet of a 2017 schedule, it will have a chance to play in the SEC Tournament in Orange Beach, Alabama to be held from Oct. 31-Nov. 5. Should the Bulldogs move past that would mean they would walk a path no MSU team has walked before by going to the NCAA Tournament, set to begin Nov. 10.
MSU returns several veterans from the defensive end of the field. Seniors Hannah Smith and Khalyn Harmon have seen significant
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2017 MISSISSIPPI STATE SOCCER MEDIA GUIDE
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