The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebels Host Bulldogs Thursday in Magnolia Cup
9/21/2016 | Soccer
Match 11 - Mississippi State
Date: Sept. 22, 2016
First Kick: 6 p.m.
Location: Oxford, Miss.
Venue: Ole Miss Soccer Stadium
TV: SEC Network
Jenn Hildreth (play-by-play)
Heather Mitts (analyst)
Live Stats:
Series: Ole Miss leads, 12-6-3
Twitter Updates: @OleMissSoccer
PROMOTIONS
- Admission is FREE to ALL Ole Miss Soccer home games
- Thursday, Sept. 22
- International Students Night: Free pizza for international students
- First 400 fans get Ole Miss Soccer ThunderStix
KICKERS
- With non-conference play in the rear-view mirror, Ole Miss turns its attention to the battle for the Magnolia Cup Thursday night against Mississippi State on SEC Network.
- Ole Miss holds the lead in the all-time series with its rival, 12-6-3 overall, and 6-2-2 in games played in Oxford.
- While the rivalry series has been ongoing for 22 years, it wasn't named the Magnolia Cup until the 2003 season. Since then, the Rebels have owned a 7-3-2 record against the Bulldogs, and have kept the trophy in their possession since the 2013 victory.
- The Rebels, 4-0-2 in their last six at home against the Bulldogs, haven't lost in Oxford since 2001.
- In the last six meetings, Ole Miss has outscored Mississippi State, 11-2, and 20-6 overall in the series at home.
- Thursday's contest kicks off the first of three-straight at home on the SEC Network. The Rebels are 9-13-6 all-time in TV games, and 1-2-2 in contests televised by SEC Network.
- Both sides enter the Thursday matchup in search of their first SEC win at 0-2 on the year.
- The Rebels are coming off a big win Sunday night which closed out the non-conference slate. After allowing a goal in the 10th minute to trail 1-0 at half, Ole Miss stormed back for two second-half goals to defeat Tulsa, 2-1.
- Ole Miss has seen big crowds all season as the Rebels rank 19th nationally in total attendance (6,126) and 38th overall in average attendance (875 fans/game).
- The Rebels rank 27th in the country in shots on goal per game (8.60) and 40th in shots per game (17.20).
- Through 10 matches Ole Miss has had six different starting lineup combinations. 16 different players have starts including three true freshmen, two of which have started every contest.
- Senior Addie Forbus got back on the scoring track in the win at Tulsa, and ranks tied for seventh nationally in total goals (8). She's also moved into a three-way tie for sixth in career scores (30), and is T-9th in career assists (19).
- Senior Gretchen Harknett is averaging 2.50 SOG/game and 4.30 shots/game, which rank 13th and 24th in the nation, respectively.
SCOUTING MISSISSIPPI STATE
Mississippi State enters Thursday night's matchup at 5-4 on the year, which already ties last year's win total for the Bulldogs. Led by fourth-year head coach Aaron Gordon, the Bulldogs are coming off a 5-10-3 campaign in 2015, and are off to one of their better starts in recent years. Picked 14th in the SEC Preseason Poll, MSU is 0-2 thus far in league play with losses at No. 25 Arkansas (5-2) and at home to Vanderbilt (2-1, 2OT). The Bulldogs have faced off with three common Ole Miss in opponents in Lipscomb (1-0 L), South Alabama (2-1 W) and Louisiana Lafayette (2-1 W). Other wins thus far came over College of Charleston (2-0), UT Martin (3-1) and Southern Miss (1-0). MSU has maintained a very balanced attack through nine contests as 10 different players have found the net. The Bulldogs boast three SEC Preseason Watch List players in Mallory Eubanks, Ariana Holmes and Carly Mauldin. Eubanks has two goals and two assists thus far, while MaKayla Waldner and Kennadi Carbin have also scored twice. Tanya de Souza, the week three SEC Defensive Player of the Week, has played all but 90 minutes in goal allowing 13 goals with 44 saves and one shutout.
SERIES HISTORY - MISSISSIPPI STATE
Ole Miss has been the dominant team in the all-time series with its rival, leading 12-6-3 over the Bulldogs. The Rebels are 6-2-2 all-time against State in matches played in Oxford, including a 4-0-2 mark since the 2003 season. Coming off a season where the two rivals didn't meet, the last matchup came in 2014 in Starkville, where Ole Miss came away with a 1-0 victory. The last match at home resulted in a 5-1 win for the Rebels, which tied for the most goals ever scored in the rivalry. In the last six meetings, Ole Miss has outscored the Bulldogs, 11-2, and the Rebels have outscored their rival 20-6 in all 10 contests played in Oxford.
OLE MISS ON NATIONAL TV
The Rebels kick off their first of three-straight home games on SEC Network Thursday night against Mississippi State. The last two contests in the Magnolia Cup have been on national TV, including SEC Network in 2014 and SportSouth in 2013. Ole Miss holds a 9-13-6 record all-time in TV games, including a 1-2-2 mark in matches on SEC Network.
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE
A year after setting the single-season attendance record (11,087), the Rebels have once again seen great crowds in their seven home matches this season. Ole Miss currently ranks 19th in the NCAA in total attendance (6,126) and 38th in average attendance (875 fans per game). Seven of the top-10 largest crowds in school history have all come under head coach Matt Mott, including the eighth-largest crowd ever of 1,335 in the 2016 season opener against Louisiana-Lafayette (8/19).
FANTASTIC FORBUS
Senior Addie Forbus began her senior season on a mission, scoring in four-straight matches for a quick seven goals which led the country. Now through 10 contests, she's just three shy of tying her season goal total from a year ago (11) and is now tied for seventh nationally in goals with eight. She's also 12th in the nation in total points (18) and 13th in game-winning goals (3).
The Amory, Mississippi native has jumped into the top-10 in career records in both career goals and assists. Forbus is in a three-way tie for sixth all-time in school history with 30 scores, and sits tied for ninth with 19 career assists, just three shy of cracking the top five.
REBELS CLOSE NON-CONFERENCE SLATE WITH INSPIRING WIN
Ole Miss headed into Sunday's matchup at Tulsa on a three-game losing streak, but the streak came to an end thanks to the Rebels' second-half comeback. After going down 1-0 in the 10th minute, Ole Miss came out in the second half strong as senior Gretchen Harknett punched in the equalizer from 12 yards out. Exactly 10 minutes later, senior Addie Forbus dribbled down field, beat two defenders and fired off the game-winner from 15 yards out to seal the win for the Rebels. The come-from-behind effort marked the first time this season Ole Miss would fight back from being down at half to win the match.
FINDING THE RIGHT FIT
Through 10 matches, head coach Matt Mott has drawn up six different starting lineups. After starting the year with identical lineups against Louisiana and Northwestern State, the Rebels made a switch at midfield that lasted for two contests against Memphis and Lipscomb. The non-conference match at Michigan brought the third different starting 11, as did games versus Missouri, South Alabama and LSU. Even with six different lineup combinations thus far, eight of the positions on field have remained the same (Merritt, GK; Forbus, F; Harknett, F; Kizer, MF; Little, MF; Russell, MF; Harbin, D; Capocaccia, D). The biggest switch in the lineup all season has come at midfield and at one defender spot. Furthermore, 16 different Rebels have starts this season, including three true freshmen.
UP NEXT
Following the battle for the Magnolia Cup Thursday night against Mississippi State, the Rebels will host the current leaders of the SEC, No. 15 Arkansas, Sunday at 2 p.m. on SEC Network.
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Rebels by following Ole Miss Soccer on Twitter at @OleMissSoccer, on Facebook at Facebook.com/OleMissSoccer, and on Instagram at Instagram.com/officialolemisssoccer. Also follow head coach Matt Mott on Twitter at @CoachMattMott. Additionally fans can get a behind the scenes look at Ole Miss Athletics on Snapchat under the handle, @WeAreOleMiss.
