The McCracken County Lady Mustangs soccer program made history Tuesday night, taking down Greenwood 2-1 in the first round of the KHSAA Girls Soccer State Tournament. The history wasn’t just that the Lady Mustangs made the tournament — it was that they earned their first postseason win.
The victory marked the first state tournament win in program history. Their only other tournament appearance came in 2023, when the Lady Mustangs fell 1-0 to Henderson County.
“It’s exciting for all of us. It’s not the same old, same old — we’re doing something new,” senior Kiera Tynes said. “The excitement that is shown throughout this team every game to just keep pushing the limit and keep playing is so unreal right now.”
That excitement is just getting started as the Lady Mustangs returned to the practice field Thursday afternoon in preparation for their upcoming matchup. They will host Sacred Heart, the No. 2-ranked team in the state, which has just two losses on the season.
While the Valkyries will be a tough opponent, the Lady Mustangs are less focused on their opponent and more grateful for the opportunity to play in front of their home crowd one more time this season.
“It’s great, especially for it to be the first time that girls soccer has gotten to do that,” head coach Mike Lane said. “To be able to make history at this school — I’ve been telling my girls this year, ‘create your own legacy,’ and they have definitely gone out and done that.”
Of course, the matchup against No. 2 Sacred Heart will be a challenge.
The Valkyries are averaging 13.1 points per game and have recorded 19 shutouts through their 21-2-1 season. The Lady Mustangs have averaged 8.8 points per game and collected nine shutouts during their 12-7-2 campaign.
Kickoff is set for Saturday at 6 p.m. at McCracken County High School.