NATCHEZ &8212; As the Natchez girls prepare for their first playoff game, a few nerves would be expected.

But Natchez coach Lena Yarbrough said she hasn&8217;t detected any anxiety from her team entering today&8217;s MHSAA Class 5A South State playoff game.

&8220;They&8217;re real excited. They&8217;re pretty reserved because they don&8217;t know about the other team,&8221; she said. &8220;They&8217;re not overzealous.&8221;

The Lady Bulldogs, who went 4-0 in division play, will host the Gulfport Lady Admirals, the Division 8-5A runner-up, at Tom F. Williams Memorial Stadium today at 4 p.m.

For the Lady Bulldogs, it&8217;s a warm welcome to the state playoffs.

Yarbrough expects her team to be challenged.

&8220;I&8217;ve heard that they&8217;re good, but I don&8217;t know anything about them,&8221; she said. &8220;I&8217;m going to expect a good team, and I expect my team to do its best.&8221;

Yarbrough&8217;s team, which enters the playoffs with a 7-7-1 record, has been working on accurate passing, communicating together, executing throw-ins and quick plays.

&8220;It&8217;s going to have to be a quick game,&8221; Yarbrough said. &8220;Everything&8217;s going to have to be quick and accurate.&8221;

Yarbrough said Cacey Champlin, the team&8217;s fastest player who is &8220;a very aggressive player&8221; must play her best game of the year.

The Lady Bulldogs will be without Rebecca Davis, who was lost for the remainder of the season because of a knee injury.

A close game might help Natchez, since the Lady Bulldogs have plenty of experience in tight games this season. Yarbrough noted most of the team&8217;s seven losses have been by just one goal.