Soccer To Host Southern Miss and Memphis This Weekend

OXFORD, Miss. The Ole Miss soccer team (1-3) will try to bounce back from some early close defeats when the Rebels host regional rivals Southern Miss (2-1-1) and Memphis (2-2) on Friday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m., respectively.

The Rebels, who returned all 11 starters from last season’s SEC West Champions, are in the midst of a three-game losing streak for the first time since 2001. The squad has dropped tight matches against three quality opponents, including then-No. 3 Notre Dame and Denver and Colorado in Boulder, Colo. The Fighting Irish have since risen to the No. 1 ranking in the nation, while the Pioneers and Buffaloes have been steadily rising in regional rankings.

“This is really a rivalry weekend,” said Ole Miss head coach Steve Holeman. “It’s good to be back at home. We need to get back on track. These are two schools that have become rivals even if it’s just because of how close we are. It’s important that we continue to establish ourselves as one of the premier teams in this region.”

Ole Miss has been led offensively in the young season by junior midfielder Chrissy Strini and senior forward Brittney Potts. Strini has assisted on all four Rebel goals and is tied for the conference lead in assists. Potts has scored two goals to lead the Rebels in that category, while freshman forward Hannah Weatherly and sophomore midfielder Jennifer Hance have scored one goal apiece.

The Golden Eagles from Hattiesburg have won their last two matches by a combined score of 8-0 against Murray State and Louisiana Tech. Sophomore forward Sarah McFadden leads the team with five goals and two assists, while senior forward Carly Barkley has chipped in four goals.

The Rebels are a perfect 4-0 against Southern in the all-time series. The two teams have not played since 2000, though, when Ole Miss defeated the Eagles 5-1.

“It’s good to have Southern Miss back on our schedule and play a home-and-home with them,” Holeman said. “They have a very good team in a very good conference. They are on a bit of a winning streak and will be a challenge for us.”

The Memphis Tigers started the 2006 campaign with 8-0 and 7-0 wins over Tennessee Tech and Tennessee-Martin, but have since dropped their last two vs. Alabama and Samford.

The Tigers are led by senior forward Shoko Mikami’s six goals scored. Mikami earned Conference USA Player of the Week honors for the season’s first week. Sophomore forward Kylie Hayes has added five goals and a team-high two assists.

Ole Miss has squared off against Memphis in all but two years in the program’s history. The Rebels hold a 6-2-1 advantage in the all-time series. Ole Miss downed the Tigers 3-2 last year in Memphis.

“Memphis has really become a bit of a rival,” Holeman said. “The last time they came here, they won on an own-goal, so we would like to get that one back. Both teams are very familiar with each other. Memphis has a great team. They have dropped two close ones recently, so we know they are looking to get back to winning like we are.”

Friday night's match will be "Mad Hatter Night," where the first 200 fans will receive a free hat courtesy of University Sporting Goods. Sunday's contest is Faculty/Staff Day as all Ole Miss faculty and staff will receive four complimentary tickets.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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