FLOWOOD — The Starkville Academy girls soccer team set a goal in the preseason to win a state championship.
With that end in their minds throughout the season, the Lady Volunteers made history behind seven seniors and a first-year head coach.
Sydney Passons scored two goals, including the game-winner in overtime, to help Starkville Academy rallied past Hartfield Academy 3-2 in the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools (MAIS) Division III Championship on Monday evening on the campus of Hartfield Academy. It was the school’s first girls soccer title in its initial appearance in the championship round.
“We have worked for this the entire season,” Passons said. “At the end of the school year, we had a team meeting and determined we wanted to win a state championship. It is an amazing feeling.”
Passons broke the deadlock after 18 minutes of scoreless action in two overtime periods. A clearance from the Lady Volunteers’ back line found the senior behind the defense and gave her a one-on-one opportunity against the goalkeeper. Passons calmly slipped the ball into the center of the goal to set off a celebration with a large contingent of Starkville Academy fans. The Hawks didn’t threaten in the final two minutes.
“I had been in that situation so many times and kicked it to the goalie,” Passons said. “I told myself repeatedly I just had to score, I just had to score. It went into the goal and relieved me.”
Matt Sykes, in his first season directing the Lady Volunteers, believed his team had what it took to realize its goal of winning a state title from the first practices. During the team’s final huddle after the game, Sykes told his players they “fought to the very end” like they had done all season.
“We have fought every game we played in, whistle to whistle. Tonight’s game proved that to me,” Sykes said. “It’s the greatest group of girls I have ever been around. Period.”
That determination carried the Lady Volunteers into overtime.
After allowing a goal in the first 30 seconds of the second half and trailing 2-1, Starkville Academy pressured Hartfield Academy for 30-plus minutes until it found the late equalizer. Two of Shelton Spivey’s shots in the second half were stopped early, but she capitalized on a shot by Hannah Cuevas that deflected off the goalkeeper and scored with seven minutes left.
“I knew our girls had no quit inside of them,” Sykes said. “When Hartfield picked up the second goal, I knew we would at least keep it interesting in those closing moments. I had full faith that the game was not over. Our girls were not going to be denied.”
Senior Cuevas, Passons, Spivey, Savannah Hubbard, Bonner Hughes, Lauren Lyle, and Hays Miller helped set the standard and left a legacy for future of Lady Volunteer.
“I knew our group could win,” Passons said. “I knew when we stepped on the field we would win this game. It is an amazing and cannot stop crying.”
Sykes echoed Passons’ thoughts about the seniors.
“Without these seniors, this team would not be where it is now,” Sykes said. “When we got behind, they kept us level-headed. In the end, they won this game for us. It will be tough to go on without them.”
Starkville Academy (13-1-1) recorded 11 shutouts in its march to a championship. It defeated Bayou Academy 8-0 in the opening round and Indianola Academy 6-0 in the semifinals to get to the title game. Despite losing seven seniors, Sykes doesn’t believe this will be the end of the Lady Volunteers as a power in MAIS soccer.
“We build on this success,” Sykes said. “We have to fight to keep this success. We will celebrate, but once spring rolls around, we want to reclaim this championship title again. One is nice, but two is sweeter.”
Passons opened the scoring as she blasted Miller’s cross out of reach of the goalkeeper at the 25:13 mark. Nearly 10 minutes later, Hartfield Academy defender Carson Turner lofted a 40-yard free kick under the crossbar.
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