The University of Mississippi Athletics
Soccer Position Preview: Goalkeepers and Defenders
8/19/2019 | Soccer
Previewing the Rebelsโ Goalkeepers and Defenders Ahead of the 2019 Season
OXFORD, Miss. โ In the first of a three-part series, OleMissSports.com takes a look at the Rebel soccer team's goalkeepers and defenders ahead of Thursday night's season opener against North Alabama.
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In the absence of four-year starter Marnie Merritt, Ole Miss will break in a pair of goalkeepers who have yet to play a competitive minute in a Rebel kit.
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Sophomore Ashley Orkus sat out the 2018 campaign after transferring from Tennessee. Orkus appeared in four matches in her lone season in Knoxville, ironically making her only save against the Rebels. True freshman Lizah Pistorio allowed just 10 goals while making 219 saves in three seasons at Providence High School in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The first line of defense in front of the keepers, Ole Miss boasts a healthy mix of veterans and young talent on the back line. The Rebels return 65 starts from 2018 among Grace Johnson, Chanel Thomas, Maddy Houghton and Madison Smith, with key reserve Sophie Dineen back as well.
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Stalwarts on the back line, Johnson and Thomas were two of just four players to start all 22 matches for Ole Miss in 2018, helping the Rebels record seven shutouts. Named a team captain for her junior season, Johnson also contributed going forward, tying for second on the team with four assists while scoring the game-winning goal in the NCAA First Round victory at Clemson.
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Beginning her freshman season on the bench, Houghton made her first start against Florida Atlantic and quickly established herself as a mainstay. The former Lafayette Commodore started the final 12 matches of the season, topping 60 minutes nine times.
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After redshirting her freshman campaign in 2017, Smith appeared in 18 matches with eight starts for Ole Miss in 2018, registering a goal and an assist while providing quality service out wide. Dineen came on in every match as a sophomore, dishing out an assist and scoring an equalizer in the NCAA Second Round loss at No. 1 Stanford.
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In addition to the five returners, the Rebels add three freshmen to the back line in Micaela Dusseault, Aimee Medwin and Elle Muirhead.
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Dusseault earned all-region and all-state honors twice while playing at Hutchison School in Memphis, Tennessee. Meanwhile, Medwin joins Ole Miss from her native Australia, where she played semi-professionally for South Melbourne FC while taking part in the Australian National Training Program from 2014-16. One of six Magnolia State natives on the roster, Muirhead played two high school seasons at Madison Central, helping the Jaguars to the 2016 state title with a perfect 22-0-1 record.
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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In the absence of four-year starter Marnie Merritt, Ole Miss will break in a pair of goalkeepers who have yet to play a competitive minute in a Rebel kit.
ย
Sophomore Ashley Orkus sat out the 2018 campaign after transferring from Tennessee. Orkus appeared in four matches in her lone season in Knoxville, ironically making her only save against the Rebels. True freshman Lizah Pistorio allowed just 10 goals while making 219 saves in three seasons at Providence High School in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The first line of defense in front of the keepers, Ole Miss boasts a healthy mix of veterans and young talent on the back line. The Rebels return 65 starts from 2018 among Grace Johnson, Chanel Thomas, Maddy Houghton and Madison Smith, with key reserve Sophie Dineen back as well.
ย
Stalwarts on the back line, Johnson and Thomas were two of just four players to start all 22 matches for Ole Miss in 2018, helping the Rebels record seven shutouts. Named a team captain for her junior season, Johnson also contributed going forward, tying for second on the team with four assists while scoring the game-winning goal in the NCAA First Round victory at Clemson.
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Beginning her freshman season on the bench, Houghton made her first start against Florida Atlantic and quickly established herself as a mainstay. The former Lafayette Commodore started the final 12 matches of the season, topping 60 minutes nine times.
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After redshirting her freshman campaign in 2017, Smith appeared in 18 matches with eight starts for Ole Miss in 2018, registering a goal and an assist while providing quality service out wide. Dineen came on in every match as a sophomore, dishing out an assist and scoring an equalizer in the NCAA Second Round loss at No. 1 Stanford.
ย
In addition to the five returners, the Rebels add three freshmen to the back line in Micaela Dusseault, Aimee Medwin and Elle Muirhead.
ย
Dusseault earned all-region and all-state honors twice while playing at Hutchison School in Memphis, Tennessee. Meanwhile, Medwin joins Ole Miss from her native Australia, where she played semi-professionally for South Melbourne FC while taking part in the Australian National Training Program from 2014-16. One of six Magnolia State natives on the roster, Muirhead played two high school seasons at Madison Central, helping the Jaguars to the 2016 state title with a perfect 22-0-1 record.
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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