The University of Mississippi Athletics
Matt Mott Weekly Press Conference
10/1/2018 | Soccer
Ole Miss Head Soccer Coach Recaps Texas A&M, Previews Missouri and Arkansas
Ole Miss Soccer Head Coach Matt Mott met with members of the media on Monday as part of his weekly press conference. Coach Mott recapped Friday's 1-1 draw versus No. 5 Texas A&M before previewing this week's matchups with Missouri and Arkansas.
Opening statementโฆ
"It was a very good game for us on Friday night. I thought that the team came out really focused and energized taking on the No. 5 team in the country at home. It was certainly exciting. We had a great crowd. Our team, I thought, played really well. We came out in the first half and got a deserved goal by Ella Frischknecht. It is funny that Grace Johnson served her sister Ella into a set piece, and Ella headed it over the keeper. We had a couple of really good chances in the first half to get that second goal but we didn't get it and went into halftime up 1-0. Texas A&M is a team that is really hard to keep of the board. We came out in the second half and battled with them. They got one midway through the second half. Then, we fought into overtime and double overtime for a very deserved point for us. You look at the game at some points we may be a little disappointed that we only got one. I thought we played well enough to maybe beat them. They also missed a penalty kick, so you look at it and think 1-1, we will take it and move on. Really happy with our play. Grace Johnson was just a warrior on the night. Coming off the injury from Auburn, she really played like a veteran center back even though she is a sophomore and was dominant on one of the best forwards in the country in Allie Watt. Marnie Merritt had maybe the best game of her career. She was fantastic. She stopped a breakaway from Watt in the first half and then made a couple other big saves. Then in the waning moments of the game they got a corner kick, and Marnie made one of the best saves of her career with 3 seconds to go to keep us 1-1. She was great and I'm very happy with the team. Now we shift gears to a double weekend where we play Missouri on Thursday night at Missouri, a very difficult place to play. Then we return home Sunday against Arkansas at 2 p.m. Arkansas and Missouri are two very difficult teams. Both are high tempo and high pressure and want to get the ball forward pretty direct. We have to be able to get the ball down and connect on passes and try to get at them. It is a big test for our team. Over the years Missouri has had our number, so it is a tough task for us. One we are certainly looking forward to getting back on the road."
On the Auburn game being a season defining gameโฆ
"We look at it and think we can play with anybody in the league. I don't say that by any stretch arrogantly, but I think we can compete with anybody in our league. I think with the six games we have left we are going into them with some momentum. We are excited, and I think our team feels good about where we are at. It is the SEC, every game is hard. Everybody is beating everybody. It is tough to get points, and right now our whole focus is to get to The Beach."
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Rebels by following Ole Miss Soccer on Twitter at @OleMissSoccer, on Facebook atย Facebook.com/OleMissSoccer, and on Instagram at Instagram.com/officialolemisssoccer. Also follow head coach Matt Mott on Twitter atย @CoachMattMott.
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Opening statementโฆ
"It was a very good game for us on Friday night. I thought that the team came out really focused and energized taking on the No. 5 team in the country at home. It was certainly exciting. We had a great crowd. Our team, I thought, played really well. We came out in the first half and got a deserved goal by Ella Frischknecht. It is funny that Grace Johnson served her sister Ella into a set piece, and Ella headed it over the keeper. We had a couple of really good chances in the first half to get that second goal but we didn't get it and went into halftime up 1-0. Texas A&M is a team that is really hard to keep of the board. We came out in the second half and battled with them. They got one midway through the second half. Then, we fought into overtime and double overtime for a very deserved point for us. You look at the game at some points we may be a little disappointed that we only got one. I thought we played well enough to maybe beat them. They also missed a penalty kick, so you look at it and think 1-1, we will take it and move on. Really happy with our play. Grace Johnson was just a warrior on the night. Coming off the injury from Auburn, she really played like a veteran center back even though she is a sophomore and was dominant on one of the best forwards in the country in Allie Watt. Marnie Merritt had maybe the best game of her career. She was fantastic. She stopped a breakaway from Watt in the first half and then made a couple other big saves. Then in the waning moments of the game they got a corner kick, and Marnie made one of the best saves of her career with 3 seconds to go to keep us 1-1. She was great and I'm very happy with the team. Now we shift gears to a double weekend where we play Missouri on Thursday night at Missouri, a very difficult place to play. Then we return home Sunday against Arkansas at 2 p.m. Arkansas and Missouri are two very difficult teams. Both are high tempo and high pressure and want to get the ball forward pretty direct. We have to be able to get the ball down and connect on passes and try to get at them. It is a big test for our team. Over the years Missouri has had our number, so it is a tough task for us. One we are certainly looking forward to getting back on the road."
On the Auburn game being a season defining gameโฆ
"We look at it and think we can play with anybody in the league. I don't say that by any stretch arrogantly, but I think we can compete with anybody in our league. I think with the six games we have left we are going into them with some momentum. We are excited, and I think our team feels good about where we are at. It is the SEC, every game is hard. Everybody is beating everybody. It is tough to get points, and right now our whole focus is to get to The Beach."
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Rebels by following Ole Miss Soccer on Twitter at @OleMissSoccer, on Facebook atย Facebook.com/OleMissSoccer, and on Instagram at Instagram.com/officialolemisssoccer. Also follow head coach Matt Mott on Twitter atย @CoachMattMott.
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Players Mentioned
HIGHLIGHTS: Soccer vs. Kentucky (10/10/25)
Friday, October 10
Walk-and-Talk with Ole Miss Soccer: Sidney O'Billovich
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Walk-and-Talk with Ole Miss Soccer: Briana Rodriguez
Friday, October 10
Walk-and-Talk with Ole Miss Soccer: Katie Ramsden
Friday, October 10