Lady Volunteers play for the state title today
It may be a new identity for this year’s Starkville Academy girls soccer team, but the Lady Volunteers find themselves right back in the same position.
After losing seven seniors off the 2016 Division III State championship team, Starkville Academy has worked its way for a chance to defend the title.
Coach JoJo Dodd said the leaders of the Lady Vols have played with a purpose this year.
“A lot of the girls that are playing and starting this year didn’t start last year,” Dodd said. “They feel an ownership of this team that they didn’t have last season.”
Starkville Academy will take on Park Place Academy at the Starkville Sportsplex. The match is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m., depending on weather and field conditions.
Lady Vol seniors Alyssa Canoy, Milla Davis, JonHayden Hancock, KarLee McNeel and Mary Margaret McReynolds are ready to get back on the field.
“Defending our state title is a really big deal to us,” Davis said. “We are ready to do our job (today), do our very best, work together and be ready to win any kind of way. We are really itching to get on the field and start the game.”
Starkville Academy brings a record of 12-2 into the title match. The Lady Vols have won a pair of 1-0 matches in the playoffs with the first being over Bayou Academy at home and the other coming on the road against Indianola Academy.
Even though he does not know much about Park Place, Dodd expects the defense to be stingy once again today.
“The defense has surely kept us in this thing and I expect it will be called upon again to carry the large part of the burden,” Dodd said. “If we play our game, it doesn’t matter who we play, we’ll beat them. I like our chances and like our team.
“Our team is excited and I hope we go out playing our best game all season when it really matters.”