Some of college soccer's best teams and athletes will battle to keep their tournament hopes alive. 

MSU built on its recent program success with its third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance last week. The Spartans will go from MAC champion Western Michigan to SEC champion Texas. 

The Longhorns enter the contest with a 17-3-2 record, crowned conference champion in their first year as members of the SEC. During a press conference Monday, MSU head coach Jeff Hosler highlighted Texas' strengths, noting its dynamic style of play.

"They're very dynamic going forward, on the attack," Hosler said. "They're definitely a possession-oriented team, so very similar stylistically to us. It is their primary objective to constantly switch the point of attack and use pivot play to exploit or isolate players in wide spaces to create 1-v-1 matchups."

Texas have been a dominant offensive force, ranking fourth nationally in goals per game and third in assists per game. At the heart of its attack lies senior midfielder Lexi Missimo, one of the most creative players in Division I.

"Texas has such incredible talent," Hosler said. "Lexi Missimo is one of, if not the best player in college soccer, playing in the middle of the park for them as a true No. 10 and playmaker. I think she led the country in assists last year."

Missimo’s resume speaks for itself: 56 goals and 65 assists in 89 career games along with numerous accolades. Her ability to dictate play will demand a defensive masterclass from the Spartans.

While Texas presents a new challenge, Hosler is confident in his team’s growth and adaptability.

"I think this team, again, has a lot of belief in what they're doing," Hosler said. "They have a lot of belief in each other. They're playing a lot freer than they were. I think you could see that in our interchanges in possession and the intensity in which we defended in the game against Western this weekend."

The Spartans, boasting a 13-2-5 record, have shown resilience throughout the season. Despite an unexpected early exit from the Big Ten Tournament at the hands of Rutgers, they remain one of the nation’s top attacking sides.

Last season, MSU reached the NCAA Tournament's third round, the furthest it's gone in program history. This year's Spartans want to top that. 

Friday's game will represent another chapter in MSU's ongoing journey toward cementing itself as a top-tier program. The prospect of overcoming one of the nation's elite teams stands in its way. 

The road to glory won't come easy for the Spartans, but it's a road they're determined to travel.