Rebels Rally to Beat Alabama, 3-2

Sept. 25, 2015

Highlights

OXFORD, Miss. - In a Friday night SEC thriller at the Ole Miss Soccer Stadium, the Ole Miss soccer team rallied from a two-goal halftime deficit for the first time in program history, defeating Alabama, 3-2. With the comeback victory, the Rebels (7-2-2, 1-2-0 SEC) earned their first SEC win of the season.

It took a historic comeback, but Ole Miss continued to have Alabama's number, defeating the Crimson Tide (4-5-2, 1-2-0 SEC) for the fifth straight time. Ole Miss has now won 10 of the last 11 matchups between the two SEC programs.

The Rebels let their toughness shine through tonight by tallying three goals in a mere 17 minutes during the second half of the match. Despite being outshot by Alabama 15-13, the Rebels found the back of the net when it mattered most.

Addie Forbus started the rally by scoring just 17 seconds into the second half for her seventh goal of the season. Sophomore Liza Harbin scored the first goal of her career in the 57th minute to give the Rebels the equalizer. Shortly after, freshman standout CeCe Kizer scored her 10th goal, and sixth game-winner, of the season. Goalkeeper Marnie Merritt held strong for the Rebels marking four saves on the night.

As the two teams took to the pitch in the first half, the scoreboard found favor with the Crimson Tide. Alabama tallied two goals in the first half to claim the advantage. The first goal of the evening was scored in the 24th minute on a cross from Alabama midfielder Cilia Jimenez Delgado to forward Christina Martensson who sent the ball in on a header. The Tide drew a penalty kick off of an Ole Miss foul in the 42nd minute, and Alabama was able to extend the lead to 2-0 with sophomore Lacey Clarida converting her second goal of the season.

"I thought we came out playing okay," said head coach Matthew Mott. "Addie Forbus got in a couple of times. I thought we were moving the ball well and creating some chances. Credit to Alabama, they had a good goal. Then we had to deal with an injury and Alabama was able to get a good penalty kick."

The Rebels stepped onto the pitch for the second half and dominated Alabama. For the first Ole Miss goal of the night, Forbus juked the Alabama goalkeeper and slipped the ball past her on the right side of the goal just 17 seconds into the second half, cutting the Tide's lead to 2-1.

Ole Miss leveled the score in the 57th minute after Harbin scored the night's equalizer on a corner kick from Gretchen Harknett to Harbin. Not long after, the Rebels attacked the Alabama goal once again. Forbus played a ball to Harknet inside the box, who pass back out to Kizer at the top of the area. This time, Kizer took a shot from 18 yards out and blasted the ball into the upper right 90 of the net to give Ole Miss the lead for good.

"Addie Forbus and CeCe Kizer both just keep scoring goals for us, and big goals at that," said Coach Mott. "The goal right after halftime was massive. It got us back in the game and got us going with momentum on our side. Liza Harbin also had a great goal. We needed a goal from her on that corner and she got it done."

Kizer's nation-leading sixth game-winner of the season gave Ole Miss the 3-2 conference victory. The Rebels will enjoy the SEC win tonight, before getting back to work in preparation for LSU.

"LSU is a great team and they have two of the best forwards in the league," noted Coach Mott. "It is going to be hard for us, but that is the SEC. That is why we play it and that is why we love it. I am happy tonight, but we will be back at our film session early in the morning."

Ole Miss continues its trek into the conference schedule with a home match against LSU on Sunday night at 7 p.m. As always, fans can also catch the action on SEC Network+.

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Team Stats

Clarida Lacey

Olivia Harrison

Bethany Bunker

Maddie Friedmann

Players Mentioned

Addie Forbus

Addie Forbus

Liza Harbin

Gretchen Harknett

CeCe Kizer

Marnie Merritt

The University of Mississippi Athletics