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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Friday, September 28
Oxford, Miss.
7 PM
Ole Miss
1
vs
1
No. 5 Texas A&M
Merritt Comes Up Big in 1-1 Draw with No. 5 Aggies
9/28/2018 | Soccer
Frischknecht Heads Home the Rebels’ Lone Goal to Earn Big Point in Conference Table
OXFORD, Miss. – Marnie Merritt made a season-high nine saves Friday night against No. 5 Texas A&M but none were bigger than the senior's denial of Jimena Lopez with less than five seconds left on the clock, preserving a 1-1 draw to give the Rebels an important point in the race to Orange Beach.
The incredible diving stop put a cap on one of the finest performances in Merritt's stellar career at Ole Miss (8-4-1, 2-1-1 SEC), one of three saves in the second overtime period alone. Texas A&M (11-1-1, 2-1-1 SEC) hurled 28 shots in all at the Huntersville, North Carolina native but thanks to some superb play from the Rebel backline, 18 never reached goal.
While the statistics showing a 6-5 advantage for the Aggies in shots in the opening half, the eyes told a different story as Ole Miss controlled most of the play in the first 45 minutes.
After a quick start from the Rebels, the sisterly connection of Grace Johnson and Ella Frischknecht pushed Ole Miss ahead in the 24th-minute. Johnson lobbed in a picturesque free kick from near midfield and Frischknecht rose above everyone to head the ball back across goal and in.
The Aggies made a late push to end the opening stanza but the Rebel defense was up to the task, sending Ole Miss to the locker room with a 1-0 halftime lead.
The Aggies came out firing in the second half and in the 60th minute Ally Watt made the Rebels pay for a failed clearance, dashing past the Ole Miss back line before sliding her shot under Merritt to equalize.
Texas A&M had a golden chance to take the lead in the 70th-minute after the Rebels were called for handling inside the 18-yard box. However, Addie McCain sent her penalty attempt wide of the left post, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
The 82nd-minute also nearly saw A&M jump ahead on a header by Emily Bates but Merritt was somehow able to get down to her right with lightning-quick agility for another exquisite save. With the score remaining at 1-1 after 90 minutes, the two sides headed into extra time.
With Watt, one of the nation's top goal scorers, one-on-one with Merritt in the second overtime period, odds were that the Aggie striker would net a golden goal in the 104th-minute. Instead, Watt's shot curled off the post and remained out to keep hope alive for Ole Miss.
With the few remaining seconds on the clock ticking down at what seemed like a snail's pace, Texas A&M earned a corner kick for one last-gasp effort. Asdis Halldorsdottir sent the ball into the mixer and after pinballing around it fell to the feet of Lopez, who struck it well and began to raise her hands surely thinking she had just hit the winner. Merritt, though, had other plans, diving right to paw it away before smothering Watt's rebound attempt, clutching the ball as the clock hit all zeroes.
Having just completed the week's lone match, the Rebels will take some much-needed rest before getting right back into the gauntlet that is SEC play, hitting the road to take on Missouri in Columbia on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. CT.
Kickers
• Ole Miss is the first team this season to hold the fifth-ranked Aggies to a single goal this season.
• Marnie Merritt made a season-high nine saves on the night, one shy of her career high of 10, set last season against these same Texas A&M Aggies.
• The 28 shots faced are a career-high for Merritt and the most against Ole Miss since the 30 against Tennessee on Oct. 7, 2011.
• Ella Frischknecht's first half goal was the sixth of her career and third in an Ole Miss kit. It is the first time in their collegiate careers that Frischknecht and Johnson have teamed up to score.
• The seven points through the first four matches of SEC play are the most for the Rebels since 2009, when Ole Miss garnered nine points.
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.
The incredible diving stop put a cap on one of the finest performances in Merritt's stellar career at Ole Miss (8-4-1, 2-1-1 SEC), one of three saves in the second overtime period alone. Texas A&M (11-1-1, 2-1-1 SEC) hurled 28 shots in all at the Huntersville, North Carolina native but thanks to some superb play from the Rebel backline, 18 never reached goal.
While the statistics showing a 6-5 advantage for the Aggies in shots in the opening half, the eyes told a different story as Ole Miss controlled most of the play in the first 45 minutes.
After a quick start from the Rebels, the sisterly connection of Grace Johnson and Ella Frischknecht pushed Ole Miss ahead in the 24th-minute. Johnson lobbed in a picturesque free kick from near midfield and Frischknecht rose above everyone to head the ball back across goal and in.
The Aggies made a late push to end the opening stanza but the Rebel defense was up to the task, sending Ole Miss to the locker room with a 1-0 halftime lead.
The Aggies came out firing in the second half and in the 60th minute Ally Watt made the Rebels pay for a failed clearance, dashing past the Ole Miss back line before sliding her shot under Merritt to equalize.
Texas A&M had a golden chance to take the lead in the 70th-minute after the Rebels were called for handling inside the 18-yard box. However, Addie McCain sent her penalty attempt wide of the left post, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
The 82nd-minute also nearly saw A&M jump ahead on a header by Emily Bates but Merritt was somehow able to get down to her right with lightning-quick agility for another exquisite save. With the score remaining at 1-1 after 90 minutes, the two sides headed into extra time.
With Watt, one of the nation's top goal scorers, one-on-one with Merritt in the second overtime period, odds were that the Aggie striker would net a golden goal in the 104th-minute. Instead, Watt's shot curled off the post and remained out to keep hope alive for Ole Miss.
With the few remaining seconds on the clock ticking down at what seemed like a snail's pace, Texas A&M earned a corner kick for one last-gasp effort. Asdis Halldorsdottir sent the ball into the mixer and after pinballing around it fell to the feet of Lopez, who struck it well and began to raise her hands surely thinking she had just hit the winner. Merritt, though, had other plans, diving right to paw it away before smothering Watt's rebound attempt, clutching the ball as the clock hit all zeroes.
Having just completed the week's lone match, the Rebels will take some much-needed rest before getting right back into the gauntlet that is SEC play, hitting the road to take on Missouri in Columbia on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. CT.
Kickers
• Ole Miss is the first team this season to hold the fifth-ranked Aggies to a single goal this season.
• Marnie Merritt made a season-high nine saves on the night, one shy of her career high of 10, set last season against these same Texas A&M Aggies.
• The 28 shots faced are a career-high for Merritt and the most against Ole Miss since the 30 against Tennessee on Oct. 7, 2011.
• Ella Frischknecht's first half goal was the sixth of her career and third in an Ole Miss kit. It is the first time in their collegiate careers that Frischknecht and Johnson have teamed up to score.
• The seven points through the first four matches of SEC play are the most for the Rebels since 2009, when Ole Miss garnered nine points.
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.
Players Mentioned
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