No. 22 Ole Miss Begins Soccer Homestand with Alabama, Auburn

Oct. 15, 2003

Ole Miss Weekend Notes | | Rebel Radio Broadcast |
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OXFORD, Miss. - Hitting its stretch run, the 22nd-ranked Ole Miss soccer team opens a five-game homestand this weekend that will close out the regular season. The Rebels host Alabama Friday at 7:30 p.m. CT and No. 17 Auburn Sunday at 1 p.m. as part of "Beat Bama" week on the Ole Miss campus.

"This is a weekend that could decide the SEC West," said Rebel head coach Steve Holeman. "Alabama will be hungry, and Auburn certainly presents a great challenge. These are two of our biggest rivals, and our players are excited and looking forward to being back in front of our home crowd on a big weekend like this."

Ole Miss, who rose to No. 22 in both the NSCAA and Soccer Buzz polls this week, sits alone atop the SEC Western Division standings following a sweep of LSU and Arkansas last weekend. It wrapped up a 3-1 road swing that kicked off league play for the Rebels. It also ran Ole Miss' overall mark to 12-2, its best record ever through 14 games.

With the 3-0 blanking of the Tigers and the 4-1 victory over the Lady Backs, goalkeeper Brittany Gillespie earned SEC Soccer Defensive Player of the Week honors for the second time in a month. The senior from Modesto, Calif., tied the Ole Miss career lead for goalkeeper wins with 29 and also established the Rebels a new school record for shutouts with their ninth of the year.

Sophomore Hillary Beckman and freshman Kaela Kelly each notched their first career multiple-goal game over the weekend. Kristal Menard registered her third multiple-assist match of the season against Arkansas, while Amy Sample posted her seventh assist of the year vs. LSU to take over the conference lead.

Alabama (7-6-1, 0-3-1 SEC) skids into the weekend winless in SEC play with only one goal scored through four league games. The Crimson Tide held off Vanderbilt for a 0-0 tie last time out, on the strength of sophomore keeper Laura Lowman's fourth shutout of 2003.

Sophomore Libby Probst and senior Dawn Nash lead the scoring effort for UA with seven and six goals, respectively.

The Tide holds a 5-4 all-time series edge, although Ole Miss has come out on top in three of the last four meetings. The Rebels snagged a 2-1 victory a year ago, in the team's first ever triumph in Tuscaloosa.

Defending SEC Regular Season Champion Auburn (8-2-3, 1-1-2 SEC) was the preseason favorite to recapture the Western Division crown, but the Tigers are third after two weeks of conference action. Last weekend, Auburn, who has been ranked as high as 11th, came from two goals down to overtake Vanderbilt, 3-2, and tied Kentucky, 1-1.

Junior forward Sarah Steinmann netted the game-winner vs. the Commodores and assisted on the tying goal against the Kats. The reigning SEC Player of the Year continues to lead the Tiger attack with team highs in goals (8) and assists (5).

Auburn has taken six of nine meetings with Ole Miss, including a 3-1 decision on the Plains a year ago.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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