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The University of Mississippi Athletics
No. 17 Rebels Begin SEC Tournament Play Wednesday
11/3/2015 | Soccer
MATCHUP: No. 17/21 Ole Miss (13-4-2, 7-4-0 SEC) vs. NR/No. 18 Texas A&M (13-5-1, 6-4-1 SEC)
Date: November 4, 2015
Location: Orange Beach, Ala.
Venue: Orange Beach Soccer Complex
Capacity: 1,500
Television: SEC Network
Jenn Hildreth, play-by-play
Cat Whitehill, analyst
Taylor Bisciotti, sidelinne
Live Stats: SECSports.com
Series: Texas A&M leads 3-1-0
Last Game: Ole Miss won, 4-3
College Station, Texas-Oct. 25, 2015
KICKERS
- Ole Miss is ranked No. 17 in the NCAA poll, 21st in the Top Drawer Soccer's poll and 23rd in the RPI
- The Rebels defeated the Aggies 4-3 earlier this season, Oct. 25, in College Station
- Ole Miss ended Texas A&M's 17-game home unbeaten streak, dating back to last season
- Freshman CeCe Kizer scored two goals in a span of two minutes, including the game winner, to lead the Rebels to victory
- For her performance, Kizer was named ESPNW National Player of the Week, SEC Freshman of the Week and Top Drawer Soccer National Player of the Week
- Kizer leads the Rebels with 14 goals and 29 points this season; both rank third overall in the SEC
- Kizer's 14 goals in one season are the most by a freshman in the nation, the third-most by a freshman in school history as well as the eight-most by any Rebel in a single season
- Kizer is the first Rebel to be named SEC Freshman of the Year since Jennifer Hance in 2005
- The duo of Kizer and Addie Forbus has combined to score 25 of the Rebels' 40 goals this season
- Forbus and Kizer were named First Team All-SEC; Jessica Hiskey was tabbed Second Team All-SEC
- Ole Miss has won eight of its past 10 games
- After being picked to finish 10th in the preseason poll, Ole Miss finished third in the SEC standings
- The seven victories in SEC play are the second-most conference wins in program history
SCOUTING TEXAS A&M
The Aggies enter the SEC Tournament as the No. 6 seed after finishing the regular season with a 13-5-1 (6-4-1 SEC) record. G Guerrieri is in his 23rd season as coach of the Aggies, the only head coach in program history. Texas A&M is paced by First Team All-SEC honoree Mikaela Harvey, who has scored six goals this season. Sophomore forward (Second Team All-SEC) Haley Pounds is the Aggies' leading scorer with 11 goals and four assists for a total of 26 points this season. As a team, Texas A&M leads the SEC in shots and shots on goal per game, cracking the top-11 in both categories nationally. The all-time series between the two teams gives the Aggies a 3-1 edge over Ole Miss, with the Rebels earning their first win in the series earlier this season. Ole Miss went down to College Station and emerged victorious, claiming a 4-3 shootout at Ellis Field.
LAST MEETING: REBELS WIN 4-3 THRILLER OVER AGGIES
On a rainy Sunday evening in College Station, No. 13 Ole Miss and No. 19 Texas A&M battled in a true SEC thriller at Ellis Field. Behind four points from both Addie Fobus (one goal, two assists) and CeCe Kizer (2 goals), the Rebels emerged with a 4-3 victory over the Aggies for their fifth consecutive win. The Rebels became the first team to defeat Texas A&M at Ellis Field in 18 matches. The Aggies were 16-0-1 over the past 17 contests on their home pitch, including a 14-match winning streak. Texas A&M held opponents to a combined two goals during the impressive streak, but Ole Miss was able to put all four shots on goal into the back of the net throughout the 90 minutes of play. The dynamic duo of Kizer and Forbus continued to lead the attack for the Rebels. Kizer tallied her third multi-goal game of the season, scoring two goals less than two minutes apart, with her game-winning goal on an assist from Forbus in the 71st minute. Forbus also marked a goal on the night to go along with her two assists. For the sixth time this season, the Rebels were able to score within the first five minutes of a match when junior Gretchen Harknett's strike went into the net in just the second minute of the game. From there, the action did not slow down as both teams remained near even in the numbers. Texas A&M barely outshot Ole Miss, 17-14, including nine shots on goal.
KIZER TABBED SEC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
As the nation's leading freshman scorer with 14 goals, CeCe Kizer became the third Rebel to be named SEC Freshman of the Year and the first since Jennifer Hance in 2005. Overall, her 14 goals rank third in the SEC and 12th in the nation. The Overland Park, Kansas native has found the back of the net for an SEC-leading seven game-winning goals, which sits third nationally. In school history, Kizer has scored the eighth-most goals in a single season, including the third-most by a freshman. Earning SEC honors is nothing new for the young midfielder; she was the only freshman in the conference to be named SEC Freshman of the Week more than once this season. Kizer was the SEC Freshman of the Week for the periods ending Oct. 26 and Sept. 8.
TRIO OF SOCCER REBELS EARN ALL-SEC HONORS
After surprising the Southeastern Conference and finishing third at the end of the regular season, the Ole Miss soccer team landed three Rebels on All-SEC lists when the conference announced its postseason awards Sunday afternoon. Freshman CeCe Kizer, Ole Miss' leading scorer, headlined the trio of Rebels on the list as SEC Freshman of the Year and earning First Team All-SEC honors. Alongside Kizer, junior Addie Forbus was awarded All-SEC First Team accolades as well. Rounding out the recognized Rebels, senior defender Jessica Hiskey claimed a spot on the All-SEC Second Team. The three Rebels led Ole Miss to a 13-4-2 (7-4-0 SEC) record during the regular season, including the No. 12 spot in the NSCAA poll for the highest ranking in school history.
Forbus collected First Team All-SEC honors for the first time in her career. The Amory, Mississippi native has scored as many goals in 2015 as she did in her first two seasons combined, finding the back of the net 11 times. Forbus has tallied seven of her 11 goals in SEC games this season, including a superb header to help the Rebels knock off then-No. 10 Auburn. With 22 career goals, Forbus is just two goals away from cracking the career top-10 in program history. Along with her goals, the forward has added six assists for a total of 28 points. Doing it all on the offensive side of the pitch, the junior forward joins South Carolina's Savannah McCaskill as the only two players to rank in the top 10 in all three scoring categories (goals, assists, points).
A senior who has helped lead Ole Miss to 50 victories over the past four seasons, Hiskey earns All-SEC accolades for the first time in her storied career. She is the first Ole Miss defender to be named All-SEC since Alix Hildal and Meredith Snow were honored during the 2011 season. This season, Hiskey has started all 19 games as a team captain, increasing her consecutive starts streak to 51 matches. She began the season as a midfielder but has transitioned to becoming a difference maker in the Ole Miss backline. Since her move to starting defender, the Rebels have won six of their last eight games, allowing only six goals during that stretch and posting four shutouts. Hiskey has also provided assistance on the offensive side of the pitch, adding two goals and one assist this season.
THREE REBELS NAMED CoSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT
Three Rebels from the Ole Miss soccer team were recognized Thursday, Oct. 29, for their outstanding achievement on the field and in the classroom by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). The organization named Addie Forbus, Maddie Friedmann and Jessica Hiskey as CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team honorees. To be eligible for Academic All-America® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at her current institution and be nominated by her sports information director. The trio of Rebels took up three of the 13 spots on the District 6 list and now has a chance to earn Academic All-America status. Friedmann earned the accolade for the third time in her career, while Hiskey collected the honor for the second straight season.
Forbus, a junior, found herself on the list for the first time in her stellar career. Forbus boasts a 3.75 GPA, majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD). She is a three-time member of the Chancellor's Honor Roll on campus, producing a GPA between 3.75 and 4.00 in those semesters. Forbus earned a spot on the SEC Academic Fall Honor Roll last year and was named to the SEC First Year Academic Honor Roll as a freshman. She is also a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, Sigma Alpha Lambda & Gamma Beta Phi Honor Society.
Friedmann is no stranger to earning CoSIDA Academic All-District accolades as she has earned the award each year she has been eligible. The St. Louis, Missouri native excels academically with a 3.92 GPA as a journalism major with a minor in psychology. She has been named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll three times and has earned a spot on the Chancellor's Honor Roll every semester since arriving on campus. She is also a member of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and the Kappa Tau Alpha National Honor Society.
Hiskey is a CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree for the second year in a row. Just like her classmate Friedmann, Hiskey has been on the Chancellor's Honor Roll every semester of her collegiate career. She is a two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll member and also was on the SEC First Year Academic Honor Roll as a freshman. The Franklin, Tennessee native holds a 3.92 GPA as a chemistry major with a minor in psychology.
TWO GOALS FOR THE DUB
Recording a pair of goals has been a measuring stick to the outcomes of Ole Miss soccer matches. The Rebels are 12-1-1 on the year when scoring at least two goals in a match, including their last five games to produce a season-long winning streak. Ole Miss currently sits second in the SEC and 18th in the country in total goals (40), while fourth in the conference and 25th in the country in scoring offense.
SCORING EARLY
For the sixth time this season, the Rebels scored within the first five minutes of a match when Gretchen Harknett wasted no time putting the ball into the net in just the second minute of the game against Texas A&M on last Sunday night. On Sunday, Oct. 11, versus No. 10 South Carolina, Georgia Russell netted her first goal of the year. within the first five minutes of the match When the Rebels competed against Mizzou, Oct. 2, CeCe Kizer gave the Rebels a 1-0 lead just three minutes into the contest. Kizer notched a goal in the second minute against Austin Peay, and Danielle Gray also tallied an early goal after scoring against UCF, finding the back of the net in the third minute. Addie Forbus started the early scoring with a goal in the third minute against Boise State, the Rebels' second game of the season.
OLE MISS VERSUS RANKED OPPONENETS
Ole Miss has notched wins over two top-10 ranked teams this season, giving them an overall 3-2-1 record against ranked foes this year. The current record ties a program best for the Rebels. In 2005, Ole Miss posted a winning record against ranked opponents by also going 3-2-1.
RANKED REBELS
After another weekend sweep, the Rebels continued to surge in the polls. Ole Miss moved up one spot to No. 12 in the NSCAA poll and once again improved the highest ranking in school history. Before last week's No. 13 ranking, the team's highest ranking was Oct. 19, 2009 when the Rebels were No. 17 in the Soccer America poll. The Rebels have also climbed to 15th in the NCAA RPI and jumped 10 spots in the Top Drawer Soccer's rankings from No. 25 to No. 15.
FORBUS ON FIRE
Since beginning SEC play, Sept. 14, junior forward Addie Forbus has been on fire. Forbus has tallied a total of 11 goals on the season, with seven of those goals coming during conference play. Her seven goals in SEC matches are second in the conference. The 11 goals rank amongst the best in the conference (fourth) and her 28 points are third in the SEC. One of Forbus' notable strikes came Friday, Oct. 16, versus No. 10 Auburn. In the 49th minute, Jennifer Miller sent the ball into the corner to Gretchen Harknett, whose cross connected with the head of Forbus. The Ole Miss attacker redirected the shot on target and past the keeper, giving the Rebels what head coach Matthew Mott referred to as "one of the best goals we've scored all year." The most recent Forbus goal was scored in College Station against the Aggies when she sent the ball into the net on a left-footed strike on an assist from Olivia Harrison.
KIZER ROLLING
The Rebels are now 13-4-2 overall on the 2015 campaign behind the goal scoring of freshman CeCe Kizer. The fast forward's seven game-winning goals give her the top mark in conference, and rank third in the nation, while her goals per game (0.74) rank third in the conference. Kizer scored her most recent game-winning goal of the season in the 4-3 thriller against Texas A&M at Ellis Field when she scored two consecutive goals less than two minutes apart. The matchup against the Aggies also marked the third multi-goal game of Kizer's young career. Kizer has also tallied an impressive 14 goals so far on the season, which ranks eighth for most goals in a season in Ole Miss soccer history. Kizer's total goals are the most nationally for a freshman, followed by Jordan Mulnix of Lamar (12). For the week of Oct. 27, Kizer was named ESPNW National Player of the Week, SEC Freshman of the Week and Top Drawer Soccer's National Player of the Week after her impressive multi-goal game at Texas A&M.
NEW KEEPER, NO PROBLEM
Losing Kelly McCormick to graduation, the Rebels entered 2015 needing to fill the shoes of the record-breaking goalkeeper. Enter redshirt freshman Marnie Merritt. She has been an anchor in the goal for the Rebels this season. With Merritt getting the starts and playing the majority of the minutes, the Ole Miss backline pitched four shutouts through the first six games of the season. Through her debut season, Merritt has pitched six individual shutouts, the eighth-most in a single season in program history and seventh-most in career shutouts. She has made 73 saves throughout the 2015 campaign, which is fourth in the SEC. She made a career-high eight saves in conference matchups at No. 11 Florida and Mizzou. She also produced clean sheets versus LSU, No. 10 South Carolina and No. 10 Auburn. Merritt was the first keeper to shutout the Tigers and the Gamecocks this season and notably produced back-to-back clean sheets against the two top-10 teams. After making six saves in a shutout victory over No. 10 Auburn, Merritt was seen on ESPN's SportsCenter as a Capital One Impact Performance of the Week nominee. Merritt also helped produce a clean sheet against Tennessee in the Rebels first victory over the Vols since 2003.
FORWARDS ON THE ATTACK
With 40 goals in 19 games, Ole Miss ranks third in the SEC and 18th in the nation. A large part of the scoring success can be credited to a pair of forwards in junior Addie Forbus and freshman CeCe Kizer. Both players have reached double digits in goals scored as Kizer paces the Rebels with 14 goals and Forbus has found the back of the net 11 times. Combining for 25 goals this season, the dynamic duo has been a major factor to the Rebels' early success. Forbus' 11 goals combined with her six assists total 28 points, which ranks third in the conference for total points. Kizer's 14 goals and a single assist give her 29 points on the 2015 campaign, the third-most in the conference. The two are the only teammates ranked in the SEC's top five of both statistical categories. Forbus and Kizer's combined goals (25) come in third in national rankings, just behind two teammates from Mississippi Valley and Florida.
SUCCESS AT HOME
The Rebels have seen their fair share of success on the home pitch over the history of the program with a 114-45-17 all-time record at Ole Miss Soccer Stadium. With 12 games on the friendly pitch, Ole Miss finished with a 9-2-1 mark at home this season. The Rebels hold a 40-15-10 all-time record at home during the Matthew Mott era. When playing on the home pitch, the Rebels are cheered on to victory by an electric crowd. The Rebel faithful showed up in waves Friday night, Oct. 16, to help Ole Miss in the win over No. 10 Auburn. The crowd of 1,510 stands as a season-high in attendance and the fifth-highest attendance in school history. The 2015 season total for attendance was 10,386 which is a new single-season record for the Ole Miss soccer program.
BACKLINE STRONG AND STEADY
With Maddie Friedmann back on the field, she and Jessica Hiskey have been a force to be reckoned with as part of the Rebels' backline. Both seniors played 180-combined minutes in the wins over top-10 teams South Carolina and Auburn, keeping the two opponents from finding the back of the net. Friedmann and Hiskey's efforts did not go unnoticed as they were named to TopDrawerSoccer's Team of the Week, Oct. 19. The two seniors have also claimed an SEC Defensive Player of the Week honor over the past two weeks. Hiskey's primary roll has been as a midfielder, though she moved to the backline to help her team when called upon. Liza Harbin, Danielle Gray and Georgia Russell also played a crucial role in anchoring the defense for Ole Miss. The Rebels have posted eight clean sheets this season, with six individual shutouts being credited to redshirt-freshman goalkeeper Marnie Merritt. The total saves (73) marked by the Rebels rank fourth in the conference.
SUSTAINING SUCCESS
The Rebels are continuing to be tougher than the rest as they strive for greatness. The sustained success of the Ole Miss program under head coach Matthew Mott is evident in the numbers. The 2015 season marks the Rebels' fourth straight with a winning record and the third time in the last four years they have posted at least 10 wins. Coach Mott is averaging over 10 wins per season during his tenure at Ole Miss.
