Four of the top 10 crowds in school history have been recorded in the past two years.
Happy Hosts: Seniors Ready to Play for Starkville
November 07, 2018 | Soccer
by Brian Ogden, Assistant Coordinator/Communications
STARKVILLE – With a program-record 1,402 fans looking on, Mississippi State's soccer team took down then-No. 13/6 South Carolina in September. That audience bested the prior record set in last year's home opener when 1,349 State supporters lined the grass berms alongside the stands at the MSU Soccer Field.
MSU's fan base has grown quickly over the last five years. Each of the 10 largest crowds in school history have come since the 2014 season. Four of those top crowds have come since second-year head coach Tom Anagnost took over the program. Redshirt senior Rhylee DeCrane has been here for all of them.
"Every year, more and more people come out and stay longer," DeCrane said. "People always come out for the first few games, but the later games this year are where the crowds just keep coming. People keep coming to every game instead of one and done. They're just as committed as us."
The attendance record is just one of many that have been rewritten over the Bulldogs' historic 2018 season. State tied its longest-winning streak with an eight-game stretch that dated back to 2017. DeCrane broke the single-season shutout record with eight, and her defense held opponents to a program best 11.6 shots per game.
But the biggest milestone of the year is still to come. MSU will host Lipscomb on Friday for both programs' first-ever NCAA Tournament game.
"I feel like more people are going to come out because it's an NCAA game, and we play so well at home," senior Brooke McKee said. "I think it's a great opportunity for us to take advantage of being at home and go out there and kill it."
McKee's not exaggerating when she mentions State's success in Starkville this year. The Bulldogs have outscored opponents 20-5 at home this season and are 6-1-2 in such matches. Looking further down the stat sheet, MSU has outshot the opponent 176-89 and taken 21 more corners at the MSU Soccer Field.
"Everyone says they can play better at home," DeCrane said. "It's just a pride to show your family and friends that they're there for a good team. The pride is there because we always want our fans to see the best of us."
McKee echoed a desire to play for family and friends in the stands. She said rather than seeing that as extra pressure to perform, she looks at it as a chance to impress them.
The Bulldogs impressed more than their fans this year. With the No. 17 spot in the NCAA's RPI and the toughest schedule in the nation, the selection committee opted to let the Bulldogs stay home for the first round of the tournament.
Friday's soccer match will be the third NCAA Tournament event the city of Starkville has hosted in 2018. MSU also played host to the first and second rounds of the women's basketball tournament and the opening rounds for men's tennis.
With Starkville being a smaller town, McKee and DeCrane agree MSU's sports teams have taken a special hold on the community.
"The home crowd, these are the people that when I volunteer, I talk to," DeCrane said. "We talk about soccer. I walked into class today with people saying congrats on the (NCAA) berth. You walk into restaurants, and you see your poster. Everyone supports you. I don't think you can go to one restaurant where you don't see Mississippi State.
"Getting these bids and these extra games gives these people more chances to come cheer and have fun," DeCrane continued. "The town cares so much. They see that we want to give back. They're not just supporting the athlete, but the individual person too. They want to help us in any way they can, be that cheering on the field or talking to us in a restaurant. They're the nicest people you'll ever meet."
For DeCrane it will be her third "last game" in Starkville. Last year, she thought her career was over, but after returning for a fifth year she had a second chance at a final game. When MSU dropped the regular season finale for their only home loss of the year, DeCrane again thought she was done playing soccer in this town.
But on Friday night, the winningest senior class since 2012 will get another chance to close their Starkville careers on a positive note.
"The seniors are really thankful that it is a home game because we get that chance to redeem ourselves from losing our last game on our field," McKee said. "If we win, it's going to be so hype. I think it's a great way to start the NCAA Tournament."
STARKVILLE – With a program-record 1,402 fans looking on, Mississippi State's soccer team took down then-No. 13/6 South Carolina in September. That audience bested the prior record set in last year's home opener when 1,349 State supporters lined the grass berms alongside the stands at the MSU Soccer Field.
MSU's fan base has grown quickly over the last five years. Each of the 10 largest crowds in school history have come since the 2014 season. Four of those top crowds have come since second-year head coach Tom Anagnost took over the program. Redshirt senior Rhylee DeCrane has been here for all of them.
"Every year, more and more people come out and stay longer," DeCrane said. "People always come out for the first few games, but the later games this year are where the crowds just keep coming. People keep coming to every game instead of one and done. They're just as committed as us."
The attendance record is just one of many that have been rewritten over the Bulldogs' historic 2018 season. State tied its longest-winning streak with an eight-game stretch that dated back to 2017. DeCrane broke the single-season shutout record with eight, and her defense held opponents to a program best 11.6 shots per game.
But the biggest milestone of the year is still to come. MSU will host Lipscomb on Friday for both programs' first-ever NCAA Tournament game.
"I feel like more people are going to come out because it's an NCAA game, and we play so well at home," senior Brooke McKee said. "I think it's a great opportunity for us to take advantage of being at home and go out there and kill it."
McKee's not exaggerating when she mentions State's success in Starkville this year. The Bulldogs have outscored opponents 20-5 at home this season and are 6-1-2 in such matches. Looking further down the stat sheet, MSU has outshot the opponent 176-89 and taken 21 more corners at the MSU Soccer Field.
"Everyone says they can play better at home," DeCrane said. "It's just a pride to show your family and friends that they're there for a good team. The pride is there because we always want our fans to see the best of us."
McKee echoed a desire to play for family and friends in the stands. She said rather than seeing that as extra pressure to perform, she looks at it as a chance to impress them.
The Bulldogs impressed more than their fans this year. With the No. 17 spot in the NCAA's RPI and the toughest schedule in the nation, the selection committee opted to let the Bulldogs stay home for the first round of the tournament.
Friday's soccer match will be the third NCAA Tournament event the city of Starkville has hosted in 2018. MSU also played host to the first and second rounds of the women's basketball tournament and the opening rounds for men's tennis.
With Starkville being a smaller town, McKee and DeCrane agree MSU's sports teams have taken a special hold on the community.
"The home crowd, these are the people that when I volunteer, I talk to," DeCrane said. "We talk about soccer. I walked into class today with people saying congrats on the (NCAA) berth. You walk into restaurants, and you see your poster. Everyone supports you. I don't think you can go to one restaurant where you don't see Mississippi State.
"Getting these bids and these extra games gives these people more chances to come cheer and have fun," DeCrane continued. "The town cares so much. They see that we want to give back. They're not just supporting the athlete, but the individual person too. They want to help us in any way they can, be that cheering on the field or talking to us in a restaurant. They're the nicest people you'll ever meet."
For DeCrane it will be her third "last game" in Starkville. Last year, she thought her career was over, but after returning for a fifth year she had a second chance at a final game. When MSU dropped the regular season finale for their only home loss of the year, DeCrane again thought she was done playing soccer in this town.
But on Friday night, the winningest senior class since 2012 will get another chance to close their Starkville careers on a positive note.
"The seniors are really thankful that it is a home game because we get that chance to redeem ourselves from losing our last game on our field," McKee said. "If we win, it's going to be so hype. I think it's a great way to start the NCAA Tournament."
Players Mentioned
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