The University of Mississippi Athletics
Soccer Opens SEC Play At Arkansas, LSU
9/21/2011 | Soccer
Sept. 21, 2011
OXFORD, Miss. - The Ole Miss soccer team will open SEC play this weekend play at Arkansas and LSU.
The Rebels (4-3-1) will face the Razorbacks (2-5) on Friday at 7 p.m. in Fayetteville, Ark., and will take on LSU (5-3-1) on Sunday at 1 p.m. Friday's game at Arkansas will be televised by COX.
"This is certainly the time of year we are looking forward to in starting SEC play," head coach Matt Mott said. "We are on the road on a really tough road trip at Arkansas and LSU right off the bat with two Western Division teams that are really good and dangerous."
OLE MISS-ARKANSAS
Ole Miss leads the all-time series, 12-3-1. The Rebels and Razorbacks battled to a 4-4 double-overtime tie last year in Oxford.
This season, Arkansas is 2-5 overall and is coming off a 2-1 win over Air Force and a 5-0 loss to Colorado College.
The Razorbacks are led by Kailey Anders who has recorded six points. Keeper Emily Lillard has recorded seven starts, has allowed 20 goals (3.08 GAA) and has made 36 saves.
"Arkansas has some really dangerous front runners that have scored some goals and we've got to be prepared for that," Mott said. "They are also difficult to break down so we've got to come to play because it's always tough on the road at the SEC. Arkansas is as tough a place to play in the league as there is so we've got to be sharp and come ready to play."
OLE MISS-LSU
LSU leads the all-time series, 7-6-4. The Rebels and Tigers recorded a 0-0 double-overtime tie last season in Oxford.
This season, LSU is 5-3-1 and is coming off a 1-0 win over McNeese State and a 2-1 win over Oklahoma.
The Tigers are led by Taryne Bourdeau who has recorded eight points. Goalkeeper Mo Isom has played in eight games with seven starts. She has allowed four goals (0.51 GAA) and has made 20 saves.
"LSU is a very well coached team and organized they've given up very few goals," Mott said. "Sunday at Baton Rouge is always difficulty. It'll probably be hot so we've got to be focused and mentally ready for that challenge because LSU is a very good team."
OLE MISS IN THE SEC STATS
As a team, the Rebels are third in goals (19), fifth in points (51), fifth in shutouts (4) and sixth in saves (36).
Individually, Rafaelle Souza is first in points (18), tied for first in goals (7), tied for third in assists (4), third in shots (31) and tied for second in game-winning goals (3). Goalkeeper Alley Ronaldi is 10th in GAA (0.89) and is tied for seventh in saves (23).
OLE MISS IN SEC OPENERS
Overall, Ole Miss is 8-7-1 all-time in SEC openers and is 2-2 in SEC openers over the last four years.
PROTECTING HOME FIELD
With its 6-1 win over The Citadel on September 12, the Rebels remain undefeated at home this year with a 3-0 record. During that span, the team has recorded 16 goals while allowing just one.
REID, STROTHER RECORD FIRST CAREER GOALS
Sophomore transfer Emily Reid and senior Jenna Strother each recorded their first career goal against The Citadel on September 12. Reid scored twice while Strother scored once.
SOUZA SPARKS OFFENSE
Rafaelle Souza has recorded seven goals this year to lead the team in both scoring and points (18). She scored the team's first five goals of the year and added her first career assist against Jackson State. Souza has recorded at least one goal in each of her first three career games at Ole Miss and has recorded all three of Ole Miss' game-winning goals this year. She has recorded four assists this year including two against The Citadel.
RONALDI OLE MISS' CAREER LEADER IN GAA
Senior goalkeeper Alley Ronaldi is the Rebels' career leader in GAA. She has a career GAA of 0.89 in 33 games and 3,328 minutes played. Ronaldi is one of five Rebel goalkeepers all-time to have a career GAA of less than one, and is the only goalkeeper to have a career GAA of less than 0.80.
REBELS SPEND FIRST FOUR WEEKS OF THE SEASON IN THE NSCAA SOUTH REGION POLL
Ole Miss spent the first four weeks of the 2011 season ranked in the NSCAA South Region Poll. In the poll released on September 13, Ole Miss was tied for ninth in the South.
NOTES
In games played at the Ole Miss Soccer Stadium, the Rebels are 3-0 and have scored 16 goals while only allowing one ... the team has recorded four shutouts during the season including two away from Oxford ... the Rebels have outscored its opponents 19-9 this season but only three of its goals have come on the road ... Rafaelle Souza scored her team-leading seventh goal at UAB ... she leads the team in points with 18 ... Erin Emerson is second on the team in point with seven ... five Rebels are tied for second on the team in goals scored with two each (Erin Emerson, Alix Hildal, Mandy McCalla, Emily Reid and Dylan Jordan) ... goalkeeper Kelly McCromick made her first career start against UAB ... she recorded a career-high 10 saves ... nine Ole Miss players have recorded at least one point this year ... Ole Miss has faced two top-25 teams this year (No. 6 Duke and No. 16 Memphis) ... the Rebels have recorded double-digit points in two games this year: 21 versus Jackson State and 17 versus The Citadel ... Ole Miss' eight goals against Jackson State tied the program record for the fourth-most goals in a game.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
The Rebels will host Auburn on Friday, September 30 at 7 p.m. and Alabama on Sunday, October 2 at 1 p.m.
