Rebels Set for Road Tilt at Minnesota, Home Match Against Murray State

	Aug. 24 \| 6 p.m. \| Minneapolis, Minn. Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium BTN Plus

	Aug. 26 \| 6 p.m. \| Oxford, Miss. Ole Miss Soccer Stadium SEC Network + Richard Cross (pxp) \| Ian Banner (color)

KICKERS
• The Rebels hit the road for the first time in 2018, heading to Minneapolis to take on the Golden Gophers of Minnesota before returning to Oxford to host Murray State at the Ole Miss Soccer Stadium.
• All three teams are off to a 2-0 start following the season's opening weekend. Ole Miss registered convicing victories over Louisiana and WKU, while the Gophers bested Utah and Utah State on the road and Murray State earned wins against WKU and Northern Kentucky at home.
• The Rebels have been clicking on all cylinders to start the young season, scoring 10 times through the first two games while still having yet to allow a shot on goal. Ole Miss' 5.00 goals per game is the highest in the nation, while its 13.50 points per game is the sixth highest average in the NCAA
• Ole Miss is receiving votes for the second-consecutive week in the United Soccer Coaches' Poll, picking up five more votes from the previous week for 17.
• It's been quite the week for senior CeCe Kizer, who has been tabbed the SEC Offensive Player of the Week, selected to the TopDrawerSoccer Team of the Week and been named Ole Miss' first-ever USC National Player of the Week after tying for the NCAA lead with four goals, including the second hat trick of her career.
• While Kizer stole the show in Sunday's win over WKU last week, the Rebels have gotten contributions from all over the pitch. Of the Rebels' 10 goals on the year, five different players have scored. Meanwhile, six different Rebels have registered at least one assist.
• After leading the team in assists a year ago with eight, forward Gabby Little has already dished out a pair of helpers to start the season, tying for fourth in the SEC and 13th in the nation.

SCOUTING MINNESOTA
The Golden Gophers are off to a strong start to their 2018 season, opening the regular season with a pair of road wins over Utah and Utah State following exhibition victories over Kansas State and South Dakota State in the preseason. Minnesota's season-opener couldn't have been more thrilling, with Patricia Ward scoring the game-winning goal with just 11 seconds to spare in the 1-0 win against the Utes. The Gophers followed with a 2-1 come-from-behind victory against the Aggies, receiving goals from Maddie Castro and McKenna Buisman. Picked to finish sixth in the Big Ten, Minnesota is receiving 100 votes in the United Soccer Coaches Poll.

SERIES HISTORY - MINNESOTA
The Rebels and Golden Gophers have played just twice in their history, facing off in a home-and-home series in 2013 and 2014. Both matches went into extra time, with the home team coming out on top in both contests. Minnesota won 2-1 in the first period of extra time in 2013 at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium, while the Rebels scored a golden goal in the second period of overtime the following year in Oxford.

LAST MEETING - MINNESOTA (9/5/14)
Behind a huge effort from Olivia Harrison, who scored her first-career hat trick, Ole Miss made a furious comeback to defeat Minnesota 3-2 in extra time at the Ole Miss Soccer Stadium. With less than 12 minutes remaining and the Rebels down by a pair, Harrison halved the deficit in the 79th-minute before tying the game just three minutes later on a goal deflected off of a Gopher defender.

Following a scoreless first period of extra time, Ole Miss found the game-winning goal in the 107th minute. Bethany Bunker outpaced her defender down the wing and sent a square ball across to Harrison in the center of the box. The then-junior made no mistake, finding the back of the net to secure the golden-goal win.

SCOUTING MURRAY STATE
While perhaps lacking the name recognition of some of the top soccer programs across the country, Murray State quietly put together one of the most successful seasons in the nation in 2017, going 15-2-2 and earning a bid to the NCAA Tournament. The 2018 Racers return 20 letterwinners and seven starters from that squad, making them the odds on favorites to repeat as Ohio Valley Conference Champions for the fourth season in a row. Murray State pulled out a pair of tight one-goal victories to open the season, defeating WKU 1-0 and clipping Northern Kentucky 2-1 in extra time. Forward Miyah Watford leads the team in scoring after registering a brace against NKU, while OVC Co-Player of the Week Abby Jones has posted one goal and a pair of assists.

SERIES HISTORY - MURRAY STATE
Ole Miss has only played Murray State one time but the meeting was a big one. The Rebels and Racers squared off in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament in 2015, with Ole Miss winning 1-0 at the Ole Miss Soccer Stadium on the way to the program's first-ever Sweet Sixteen appearance.

LAST MEETING - MURRAY STATE (11/13/15)
In a match that would see just one goal, Ole Miss got the scoring out of the way early. Gretchen Harknett gave Ole Miss the lead just 70 seconds in off assists by Olivia Harrison and Addie Forbus.

That was all the help that Marnie Merritt and the Rebel defense would need, posting a clean sheet while allowing the Racers just four shots all match, just one on frame. Despite only scoring once, the Rebels peppered the net with 21 shots, putting nine on goal.

THE CECE KIZER SHOW
Senior forward/midfielder CeCe Kizer entered the 2018 season just 10 goals shy of breaking the Ole Miss' record for career goals. The native Kansan didn't waste much time narrowing that gap, scoring four times in the first two matches of her final season in Oxford, tied for the NCAA lead in scoring. Kizer also issued an assist in the Rebels' opening goal of the campaign, also tying for the national lead with nine points. The senior was recognized for her efforst, bringing in a haul of weekly awards. Not only was Kizer selected as the SEC Offensive Player of the Week, she also earned a spot on the TopDrawerSoccer Team of the Week. To top it all off, the United Soccer Coaches named Kizer the National Player of the Week, the first time a Rebel has ever received the laurel.

REBELS COME OUT OF THE GATES SWINGING
Much like a year ago, when Ole Miss scored 16 goals in the opening week of the season, the Rebels put on a scoring display to kickoff the 2018 campaign against Louisiana and WKU. After clobbering the Ragin' Cajuns 6-0, Ole Miss took down WKU 4-0 two nights later. The 10 goals are the second-highest mark in the NCAA, two behind Mercer. Additionally, the Rebels rank sixth in the nation in points per game at 13.50.

The Defense has also been staunch for Ole Miss, rendering the opposing offenses for Louisiana and WKU nearly non-existant. Not only did the Rebs collect a pair of clean sheets on the weekend, Ole Miss has yet to allow a single shot on goal.

FINDING OFFENSE FROM NEW PLACES
Aside from the scoring output of CeCe Kizer, all of Ole Miss offense has come from a player making her first appearances in a Rebel kit. True freshman Haleigh Stackpole was the first newcomer to get going, needing just 1:19 seconds to open her account and commence scoring in 2018 for Ole Miss, Florida State transfer Madisyn Pezzino added a pair of goals against Louisiana, while redshirt-freshmen Madison Smith and Sydney Michalak also found the back of the net against the Ragin' Cajuns.

NICE TO SEE YA, BECKY!
When Ole Miss takes on Minnesota Friday night at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium, it will be a reunion of sorts with former Rebel assistant coach Becky Fletcher in her first season on the Golden Gopher coaching staff. Fletcher, a former head coach at Tennessee Tech and assistant coach at Auburn, spent five seasons at Ole Miss at the start of the Matt Mott era from 2010-14. During that stretch, the Rebels went 52-40-12, hosting the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament match in 2013.

CHANNING FOSTER TO FACE OFF AGAINST HOMETOWN RACERS
On Sunday, Ole Miss sophomore forward/midfielder Channing Foster will take on her hometown team in Murray State. Foster, a Murray, Kentucky native, played her high school soccer at nearby Graves County High School.

OLE MISS CONTINUES TO RECEIVE VOTES IN USC COACHES POLL
After receiving 12 votes in the preseason rankings, Ole Miss garnered five more votes for a toal of 17 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll. If the poll were extended, the Rebels would come in at No. 35, while Friday's opponent, Minnesota, would be No. 29 with 100 votes.

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 atInstagram.com/officialolemisssoccer. Also follow head coach Matt Mott on Twitter at @CoachMattMott.

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Players Mentioned

Channing Foster

CeCe Kizer

Gabby Little

Marnie Merritt

Sydney Michalak

Madisyn Pezzino

Madison Smith

Haleigh Stackpole

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