Preview: Baylor Soccer Opens Season in Starkville Against No. 18 Bulldogs

WACO, Texas — Baylor Soccer starts their third year under Head Coach Michelle Lenard on Thursday evening as they travel to Starkville, Mississippi to take on the No. 18 Mississippi State Bulldogs.

The preseason No. 18 team in the nation hosts the Bears with kickoff set for 6:30 PM CT on ESPN+. 

Last year after taking the SEC regular season title, the Bulldogs fell in the Sweet 16 to eventual runners-up Stanford. The Mississippi State program is an excellent example of the highly skilled and incredibly physical sides at the top of the SEC and in the NCAA tournament.

So why is Baylor Soccer starting off with such a strong opponent?

“I think for the season, it just sets a tone that we're not going to be average,” said senior midfielder and captain Ashley Merrill, “We're gonna play these hard teams and we're gonna try to beat these hard teams.”

Coach Lenard similarly offered, “We need to play ranked opponents, especially in non-conference play, to get ready but also to give us a shot at NCAA Tournament bids. So them, Texas A&M, these are teams that have been ranked consistently and in NCAA tournaments. We need them on our schedule.”

The key part of that quote to zero in on is “Give us a shot at NCAA Tournament bids”. That is the overarching goal this season. After a rough first year and a solid improvement to .500 in year two, reaching the 64-team NCAA field would be the next step toward being a championship-winning program. Well, short of winning the Big 12. And the team mentally is ready for that next step.

“Not making the tournament is pretty defeating,” said Merrill, “We want to be entering that tournament, Big 12 champs, all those types of things.”

A quick start with a win against the Bulldogs could go a long way toward achieving those goals, but the challenge on the field Tuesday is significant.

“It'll be fast, it'll be intense. They’re really hard-working,” said Coach Lenard, “Like I said, they've been in the NCAA tournament. They advanced a couple of rounds. They're a good SEC opponent, so it's going to be a tough game. We're going to have to battle. I think this is exactly the type of game we want to start the season with. Figure out where are we.”

Some specific notes on how Coach Lenard plans to use her roster in game one:

• They will use their depth, playing six to eight bench players decent minutes on top of the starting 11
• Senior TCU transfer Azul Alvarez (#1) will start at goalkeeper, that is still a battle with junior Ashlee Zirkel (#44) though
• Sophomore midfielder Adriana Merriam (#7) is nursing a small injury and is not fully fit yet. Not sure if she will see minutes or be rested.
• Expect freshmen Alysiah Lockette (forward #2) and Paisley Mabra (defender #4) to be part of that bench mob seeing minutes
• Watch out for sophomore midfielder Theresa McCullough (#14) off the bench, she has a knack for goal

Since it’s game one, summer training was a topic of conversation as well during interviews. For junior forward Tyler Isgrig, that meant looking back on her time playing for the California Storm. She focused on her speed and fitness to improve in the attack specifically getting the ball out from her feet, making runs in behind and the like. 

About her time playing with other top-level collegiate soccer players from the likes of Florida State and UCLA, Isgrig said “Just being able to play an environment with other players that are super skilled and good technically and also have a good IQ of the game, I think it really helped me coming back and just being able to use those skills that I learned and apply it in my environment.”

When asked about her preseason All-Big 12 selection, Isgrig was grateful but spread the love to her teammates offering that the individual honor was a sign and product of the program earning more attention from league coaches and the NCAA selection committee. 

Isgrig and Merrill also both spoke about teammates that they were excited to play with this year. Specifically, both highlighted junior midfielder Hannah Boughton (#10) and graduate defender Marissa Gray (#18).

“I think Hannah Boughton is somebody that's really stepped up,” said Merrill, “I’ve noticed this semester… coming in, making really big plays. And you can't teach heart too, that aspect of it. She just wants it really bad. And you can tell she worked hard over the summer.”

Isgrig added, “I'm really excited to get to play with her more again, especially in the eight role. She does a really good job being a box-to-box midfielder.”

For Marissa Gray, the unexpected comeback after being away from Baylor and collegiate soccer for a year is a great story, but she has every chance to stand out simply for her play on the field this year.

“I think that Marissa is a really good addition,” said Isgrig, “I think she's really strong coming back for a sixth year. Super exciting especially with all the experience she's had with the program before, and just that, even with the new coaching staff, she's done a really good adjusting and coming in.”

Merrill was also effusive in her praise for Gray’s return saying “Oh my gosh, that was the best thing so far … I didn't play with Marissa, but I was so excited when I heard she was coming back. She was like, ‘I need a roommate. Can I live with you?’ I was like, ‘Yes, please, please live with us!’ But soccer aspect, I did not know she was that good … She's what we needed this year, especially with losing Blythe [Obar].”

So now — with the goals set out, new players integrated and the hard summer training in the rear-view — the only thing left is to go play.

“We're just ready to show what we've been working on this whole summer,” said Merrill of the impeding season, “I think excited would be the word.”

Kickoff at 6:30 PM CT from Starkville, Mississippi. Watch on ESPN+. Then come out to the home opener at Betty Lou Mayes Field on Sunday evening.