SE: K-State Senior Goalkeeper Miranda Larkin a Key Piece of K-State Soccer's Foundation
Oct 26, 2017 | Soccer, Sports Extra
By Corbin McGuire
Miranda Larkin remembers when there were no lines on the field, no stands for fans to sit in and, truthfully, no team for anyone to cheer on. As the fourth player to join the K-State soccer team in April 2015, K-State's goalkeeper has quite literally watched the program be built from the ground up.
"There was not really any team, or foundation," Larkin, laughing, recalls of her first days at K-State. "It's great to look back and see where we started to where we are now."
Now, K-State ranks seventh nationally in average attendance (1,710) and is a team that competed closely with almost every Big 12 opponent it faced in its first conference slate. After a 3-1 loss to Texas Tech to open Big 12 play, the Wildcats have not lost by more than one goal in the next seven matches. This includes pushing top-10 teams in West Virginia and Texas to the brink.
"It's been a really great experience. We started from nothing, basically, and we're here now and we're competing in every game," Larkin said. "Although we wish a couple of games would have gone a little differently, we had a great season and a great ride."
The foundation for K-State has been set and built upon, with Larkin as one of its main architects. One of five seniors to be recognized before the season finale against Iowa State on Friday at 7 p.m., Larkin set a tone and an example that her coaches hope will be followed for years to come.
"We've talked about building the foundation," K-State goalkeeper coach Tyler Watkins said, "but I think it's players like Miranda that have really made this a solid foundation."
"The impact she's going to make is what these young ladies learned from her experience here. She's impacted the program in that aspect that you know what you put into it is what you're going to get out of it," K-State head coach Mike Dibbini added, as K-State will also honor seniors Jade Anderson, Kelcy Fiser, Jaclyn Means and Abby Sieperda on Friday.
Larkin's presence has been vital for K-State's defense, trying to overcome youth and overall inexperience in the program's early stages. She's provided leadership and covered up miscues on defense to keep her team in a number of matches.
"I hope I was a good leader, helped them figure out what a Big 12, D-I soccer team is supposed to be like," said Larkin, who transferred to K-State after two seasons at Oklahoma. "I hope that I set a strong tone and was an example of what to do."
This season, the native of Rockwall, Texas, is tied for first in Big 12-only matches for saves per match (7.38) and total saves (59). She has also posted five shutouts this season to match her total from last year.
"All of the seniors laid a good piece of the foundation and Miranda in the goal did especially, with her experience and her leadership," Dibbini said. "Those gloves are going to be hard to replace in the goal. She did a really nice job of keeping us in games and keeping the team collectively together."
Watkins pointed to Larkin's competitive nature as her strongest trait. Every training session, every warm-up, Watkins said she left no doubt about her level of effort or focus.
"She always wants to get better, she always wants to grow, she always wants to know what she needs to do better and she's just so competitive that it's been a heck of an experience coaching her," Watkins said. "Miranda's been a leader since she's gotten here, and she still is a leader because of that competitiveness. She makes everyone better. She's always trying to get better herself and she betters everyone around her because of that attitude that she brings every day."
Where Larkin has grown the most, Watkins added, is her ability to handle chaotic moments. She faced plenty of them in 31 starts at K-State.
"She's already a pretty steady player as it is, but I think she's more steady in those big moments when we need her," Watkins said. "As people have seen, she comes up big because she makes the chaotic not so chaotic anymore because of how steady and calm she is when she plays."
Larkin said this growth stems from maturity and experience, and it has helped her off the soccer field as well. On the field, her calm dominance was on full display in K-State's 1-0 victory against Kansas. In the final minute of that match, Larkin notched several tough saves that included punching a last-second shot attempt over the crossbar to hold on to the victory.
"That's going to be a great memory," Larkin said of the Wildcats' first Big 12 victory. "It will be one of the best."
This, she said, is what she will remember the most.
"Knowing that me, along with my teammates that are here with me right now, created this team and did it with our coaches… we came together and we made K-State soccer. I think that's going to be a pretty great memory," Larkin said. "Through the good and the bad, it's just been a great ride. Looking back and seeing everything we've overcome, that's what's been really exciting about this whole experience."
Miranda Larkin remembers when there were no lines on the field, no stands for fans to sit in and, truthfully, no team for anyone to cheer on. As the fourth player to join the K-State soccer team in April 2015, K-State's goalkeeper has quite literally watched the program be built from the ground up.
"There was not really any team, or foundation," Larkin, laughing, recalls of her first days at K-State. "It's great to look back and see where we started to where we are now."
Now, K-State ranks seventh nationally in average attendance (1,710) and is a team that competed closely with almost every Big 12 opponent it faced in its first conference slate. After a 3-1 loss to Texas Tech to open Big 12 play, the Wildcats have not lost by more than one goal in the next seven matches. This includes pushing top-10 teams in West Virginia and Texas to the brink.
"It's been a really great experience. We started from nothing, basically, and we're here now and we're competing in every game," Larkin said. "Although we wish a couple of games would have gone a little differently, we had a great season and a great ride."
The foundation for K-State has been set and built upon, with Larkin as one of its main architects. One of five seniors to be recognized before the season finale against Iowa State on Friday at 7 p.m., Larkin set a tone and an example that her coaches hope will be followed for years to come.
"We've talked about building the foundation," K-State goalkeeper coach Tyler Watkins said, "but I think it's players like Miranda that have really made this a solid foundation."
"The impact she's going to make is what these young ladies learned from her experience here. She's impacted the program in that aspect that you know what you put into it is what you're going to get out of it," K-State head coach Mike Dibbini added, as K-State will also honor seniors Jade Anderson, Kelcy Fiser, Jaclyn Means and Abby Sieperda on Friday.
Larkin's presence has been vital for K-State's defense, trying to overcome youth and overall inexperience in the program's early stages. She's provided leadership and covered up miscues on defense to keep her team in a number of matches.
"I hope I was a good leader, helped them figure out what a Big 12, D-I soccer team is supposed to be like," said Larkin, who transferred to K-State after two seasons at Oklahoma. "I hope that I set a strong tone and was an example of what to do."
This season, the native of Rockwall, Texas, is tied for first in Big 12-only matches for saves per match (7.38) and total saves (59). She has also posted five shutouts this season to match her total from last year.
"All of the seniors laid a good piece of the foundation and Miranda in the goal did especially, with her experience and her leadership," Dibbini said. "Those gloves are going to be hard to replace in the goal. She did a really nice job of keeping us in games and keeping the team collectively together."
Watkins pointed to Larkin's competitive nature as her strongest trait. Every training session, every warm-up, Watkins said she left no doubt about her level of effort or focus.
"She always wants to get better, she always wants to grow, she always wants to know what she needs to do better and she's just so competitive that it's been a heck of an experience coaching her," Watkins said. "Miranda's been a leader since she's gotten here, and she still is a leader because of that competitiveness. She makes everyone better. She's always trying to get better herself and she betters everyone around her because of that attitude that she brings every day."
Where Larkin has grown the most, Watkins added, is her ability to handle chaotic moments. She faced plenty of them in 31 starts at K-State.
"She's already a pretty steady player as it is, but I think she's more steady in those big moments when we need her," Watkins said. "As people have seen, she comes up big because she makes the chaotic not so chaotic anymore because of how steady and calm she is when she plays."
Larkin said this growth stems from maturity and experience, and it has helped her off the soccer field as well. On the field, her calm dominance was on full display in K-State's 1-0 victory against Kansas. In the final minute of that match, Larkin notched several tough saves that included punching a last-second shot attempt over the crossbar to hold on to the victory.
"That's going to be a great memory," Larkin said of the Wildcats' first Big 12 victory. "It will be one of the best."
The win over Kansas represented something bigger than the start of a rivalry, too. It was a sign of another brick being laid on the program's foundation, one of many since Larkin signed up to play for K-State more than two years ago.Have A Night Miranda Larkin... Her 9 saves helped #KStateSOC to their first #Big12 victory! ???? pic.twitter.com/E32neWc8fc
— K-State Soccer (@KStateSOC) October 7, 2017
This, she said, is what she will remember the most.
"Knowing that me, along with my teammates that are here with me right now, created this team and did it with our coaches… we came together and we made K-State soccer. I think that's going to be a pretty great memory," Larkin said. "Through the good and the bad, it's just been a great ride. Looking back and seeing everything we've overcome, that's what's been really exciting about this whole experience."
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