Seven years after Baylor soccer’s last NCAA Tournament appearance, the Bears made the most of their opportunity. They dominated Texas State 3-0 to advance to the second round.

After securing an at-large berth and their best résumé of the Michelle Lenard era, the Bears open NCAA Tournament play at home Friday against Texas State. They will look to advance past the opening round for the first time since 2018.

In the third year under head coach Michelle Lenard, Baylor soccer’s expectations are sky-high, and 90 minutes of strong play is required every night. So when Texas State landed a last-minute goal to prevent a loss for the first time in program history at Betty Lou Mays Field, a tie felt even worse than a loss.