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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
9-3-2, 3-3-0
Arkansas
5-7-1, 1-4-1
Friedmann's Buzzer-Beater Lifts Rebels to Victory
10/9/2015 | Soccer
WATCH: Friedmann's buzzer-beating goal
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. â€" Every second counts. That statement was a proven fact Friday night for the Ole Miss soccer team. In a thrilling, 110-minute SEC matchup, Ole Miss defeated Arkansas 2-1 on a golden goal by senior Maddie Friedmann in the final second of the game.
Friedmann, a senior defender who has bounced back from an injury that sidelined her for the first part of the season, scored the second goal of her career right before the clock hit zero to give her team the road victory. The Rebels (9-3-2, 3-3-0 SEC), competing in an overtime match for the fifth time this season, remained undefeated those contests, improving to an impressive 3-0-2 in games needing extra time.
"What a goal by Maddie Friedmann," said Ole Miss Head Soccer Coach Matthew Mott. "Our composure to keep the ball going and knowing the clock is ticking down, I don't think I've ever seen a last second goal in all of my years coaching this game. I'm happy for her and happy for this team. It was a great victory for us."
Ole Miss used their toughness and relentlessly attacked the Arkansas goal. The Rebels outshot the Razorbacks (5-7-1, 1-4-1 SEC) 16-9 throughout the match. The Rebels also tallied 10 shots on goal, truly testing the Arkansas goalkeeper. The Ole Miss defense held strong as they kept the Razorbacks away from the Rebel goal, as goalkeeper Marnie Merritt only faced three shots on goal in 110 minutes.
Both teams remained scoreless during the first half, though the Rebels were heavy on the attack. Razorback goalkeeper Jordan Harris was forced to make five saves during the top half in order to keep Ole Miss from scoring. Gretchen Harknett was awarded a corner kick in just the first minute to give the Rebels' their first opportunity of the match. Shortly after, Georgia Russell took a strike and barely missed the net as the ball bounced off of the crossbar. The final Ole Miss shot in the half came from Danielle Gray in the 38th minute, but the missed attempt kept the game scoreless standstill.
"We came out with tons of energy and had some good chances in the first half," noted Coach Mott. "It is hard on the road. Fayetteville is a tough place to play."
The Rebels and Razorbacks stepped back on the pitch for an action-packed second half. During the 55th minute, CeCe Kizer attempted a header that was saved by the Razorback goalkeeper. Harris was not able to clear the ball and it went into the back of the goal after deflecting off of another Razorback. The own goal put the Rebels on the board first, 1-0.
The Razorbacks responded about 10 minutes later when midfielder Reece Christopherson took the Arkansas corner kick and sent the ball into midfielder Claire Kelley. Junior midfielder Rachel Riggs then struck the Arkansas equalizer to tie the game at 1-1. At the conclusion of 90 minutes, the game needed extra time to try and decide a winner.
In overtime, it seemed that neither team would tally another goal as each minute marched off of the clock during the two periods. However, as the final minute of double-overtime dwindled, Ole Miss refused to be stopped and kept fighting. The "tougher than the rest" attitude paid off; Friedmann sent the ball low and into the left side of the goal as time expired to give the Rebels a 2-1 win in one of the most memorable endings in program history. A defender who has spent her career as a focal point on the Ole Miss backline, Friedmann scored the first game-winning goal of her career in the 110th minute (109:59), the latest possible time a goal can be scored in collegiate soccer.
Ole Miss returns to the home pitch on Sunday night at 7 p.m. in a conference matchup against No. 10 South Carolina. In order to support our fellow SEC school and state during their time of need, there will be a Flood Relief donation drive at the Ole Miss Soccer Stadium. It is asked that those wishing to donate bring baby items (diapers, formula, clothing, bottles, utensils, baby food) and any items you are interested in providing. As always, fans who cannot make it out to the match can tune into the action on SEC Network+.
Team Stats
TEAM
Arkansas tries to clear ball off goal li
55:18
Rachel Riggs (1)
Assisted By: Claire Kelley , Reece Christopherson
18 takes corner for right side, 12 puts
64:01
Maddie Friedmann (1)
Ole Miss puts ball in front, 8 shoots do
109:59
