The University of Mississippi Athletics
Two Top 10 Soccer Teams Visit Oxford This Weekend
9/30/2009 | Soccer
Both matches will be streamed live on RebelVision, the premium content provider of OleMissSports.com. Friday's 7 p.m. contest is Youth League and Camp Reunion Day. Campers will be invited to join the Rebels as they take the field during pre-game festivities. Sunday is Ole Miss Club Sport Day for the noon kickoff against the Gators. Club teams will compete for prizes for the team that shows the most spirit.
Admission is free for all home soccer matches this season.
Ole Miss is coming off a thrilling 3-2 double-overtime win over Auburn in the Rebels' SEC opener on Sunday. The win moved Steve Holeman's team to 7-2 on the season and bumped the team up to No. 7 in the NSCAA South Region rankings, where Florida and South Carolina are No. 1 and 2, respectively.
"South Carolina and Florida are obviously both very talented teams, but we're going to have to play within our game and play to our strengths," Holeman said. "Mentally we need to enter both of the games knowing we have the ability to beat them. We're going to be under a lot of pressure, and we have to stay composed and just play our game. We are looking forward to a couple of big, loud crowds to help us use our home-field advantage."
The upcoming action marks the second time in program history to play back-to-back top 10 nationally ranked teams and the first time to host a pair of top 10 teams in a weekend.
The Rebels, who rank ninth in the nation with 3.22 goals per game, have already scored more goals in nine matches this season (29) than they did all of last year (26). The defense has been almost as impressive this season with six shutouts and only five goals allowed all year for a 0.545 goals-against average that ranks 20th in the nation.
Taylor Cunningham leads the Ole Miss attack with six goals (T-2nd in SEC) and 14 points (T-5th in SEC) on the season. Kelsey Breathitt and Hannah Weatherly have each contributed four goals. Weatherly's four goals have come in just five matches played, as she leads the league in goals per game. Alley Ronaldi has been excellent between the posts, making 23 saves and allowing just five goals for a 0.61 GAA on the year, third-best among SEC keepers.
Ole Miss will have a tough task against this weekend's nationally ranked SEC East foes. South Carolina leads the all-time series with a 5-3-2 against the Rebels, while Florida holds a 12-1-1 advantage against UM.
The seventh-ranked Gamecocks are one of two unbeaten and untied teams remaining in the country, boasting a 10-0 record and 2-0 league mark. The SC defense has surrendered just two goals all season, and keeper Mollie Patton, the reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Week, recently set the school record with her NCAA-best eighth shutout of the year. Forward Kayla Grimsley has seven goals and 16 total points to lead head coach Shelley Smith's offensive attack.
"South Carolina is not only one of the best teams in the SEC but one of the top in the country this year," Holeman said. "They've only given up two goals - one against South Alabama when they had a six-goal lead and the other a late goal by Vanderbilt. So we know they have a very strong defense, a great goalkeeper and are very organized. It will be tough to break them down, and then on the other side, they can also score goals. We're going to have our hands full on Friday."
The defending SEC Champion Gators are 8-3 overall and 2-0 in SEC play after wins over Kentucky (2-1, OT) and Vanderbilt (5-1) this past weekend. Becky Burleigh's team has won five of its last six contests to move up to the No. 8 ranking in the country. Lindsay Thompson leads the UF attack with six goals, while Brooke Thigpen has four goals and a pair of assists.
"Florida is extremely talented all over the field and has one of the most athletic teams in the country," Holeman said. "They're very well-coached. They have an amazing win streak in the SEC. We're going to have to bring our best and fire on all cylinders in both games for us to get a result. They should be great games."
