The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Soccer Opens 2000 Season In California
8/24/2000 | Soccer
Aug. 24, 2000
OXFORD, Miss. - The Ole Miss women's soccer team opens its 2000 season this weekend with a pair of games in California. The Rebels travel to San Diego State Friday at 5 p.m. (CST), and Pepperdine Sunday at 2 p.m.
Ole Miss is coming off the most successful season in school history, posting a 14-9 record in 1999. The Rebels claimed the SEC Western Division Championship and reached the finals of the conference tournament, where they lost to then defending national champion Florida.
Ole Miss, who was picked preseason to defend its SEC West title by the league coaches, returns four senior starters from last year's squad - midfielder Jennifer Soileau, defender Jessica O'Neill, forward Regan Scanlon and midfielder/forward Sarah Wong.
Leading the Rebels is Soileau, a two-time All-SEC First Team selection who ranks third on the school's all-time list in total points with 75. The Baton Rouge, La. native has started all but two of the Rebels' games over the last three years and led the team in scoring and assists two of those years. Soileau was recently named to the USASA National Team Player Pool.
Also returning this season is sophomore Bridget Brooks, who led the team in scoring last year with an Ole Miss freshman record 16 goals and 33 points. Brooks combined with Scanlon to score 25 of the Rebels' 50 goals a year ago
Friday's match will be the season-opener for both Ole Miss and San Diego State. The Aztecs, who earned NCAA Tournament berths the past two seasons, notched a 15-7 mark in 1999, but lost its four top scorers from a year ago. The top returnee is senior midfielder Elicia Petro, who totaled six goals and two assists last season.
Ole Miss' home-opener is Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. against Southern Miss.
