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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
South Alabama
Soccer Set for Home Finale with South Alabama
4/9/2021 | Soccer
Rebels and Jaguars Kick Things Off at 1 p.m.
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OLE MISS (9-5-0, 4-4-0) vs. SOUTH ALABAMA (13-7-1, 8-2-0) Saturday, April 10 • 1 p.m. • Oxford, Miss. Ole Miss Soccer Stadium |
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| LIVE STATS • OLE MISS NOTES (PDF) • USA NOTES (PDF) • SEC NOTES (PDF) | ||||||||
QUICK KICKS
• Saturday's match will mark the ninth meeting all-time between Ole Miss and South Alabama. The Rebels are searching for their sixth straight win this spring.
• After shutting down the Sun Belt's second-leading scorer and holding Arkansas State to only four shots in the Rebels' 1-0 victory, freshman Price Loposer was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week.
• Jillian Rhian made her first career start, playing 46 minutes in Ole Miss' 3-0 victory over Georgia Southern. Freshman Abbie Rushwin also checked into the match, making her collegiate debut in the first half.
• Seven different Rebels have combined to score 11 goals this spring. Ramsey Davis, Channing Foster, Saydie Holland, Jenna Kemp, Mo O'Connor, Molly Martin and Haleigh Stackpole have all found the back of the net in 2021.
• The Rebels scored three goals in all three matches during the month of March. They tallied three in the second half against Memphis (47', 52' and 58'), three in the first half against Georgia (22', 28' and 32') and three throughout the win over Georgia Southern (16', 17' and 46').
• Ahead of the spring season, Channing Foster and Ashley Orkus were among the 56 athletes named to the watchlist for the 2020-21 MAC Hermann Trophy, the most prestigious individual award in college soccer.
• With the 32nd pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft, the Chicago Red Stars selected Channing Foster. The Senior Forward is returning to Ole Miss for the spring season and plans to play in the Fall of 2021 as well.
• In November, the SEC released its 2020 postseason awards, with Ole Miss keeper Ashley Orkus being named the unanimous choice for Goalkeeper of the Year. Orkus was also a First Team All-SEC honoree.
• Channing Foster joined Orkus on the first team, becoming just the second Rebel ever to be named All-SEC four times in a career.
SCOUTING SOUTH ALABAMA
South Alabama is led by Richard Moodie in his fourth season. Moodie has lifted the program to new heights, helping the Jaguars win the Sun Belt outright in 2019 and a conference tournament championship this season, putting USA in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season.
After posting a 10-3-1 record during the fall, the Jaguars are 3-4 this spring. Three of their four losses in 2021 have come at the hands of SEC foes. South Alabama dropped a pair of home contests, falling 1-2 against LSU and 2-4 against Alabama. Their last time out, the Jaguars lost on the road at Auburn 0-3.
Despite a losing record this spring, South Alabama has the firepower to compete on the pitch. The Jaguars lead the nation with 46 goals this season. Brenna McPartlan heads the attack, finding the back of the net 11 times. Not just a scoring threat, she also has a team-high nine assists. Teammates Morgan Cross and Gracie Wilson have also contributed to the scoring effort for South Alabama with seven and six goals, respectively.
Defensively, South Alabama allows 1.24 goals per game. Anit Gudmundsdottir and Allison Luckhardt have split time in goal this season. The two have combined for 63 saves and seven shutouts on the year.
SERIES HISTORY
Ole Miss leads a close series with South Alabama, 5-3. Neither team has won more than two straight against each other in their brief series history, with South Alabama taking the last meeting on Sept. 15, 2019. The Jaguars are the only Sun Belt team that's had success against the Rebels, as Ole Miss is a combined 27-3 against members of the conference.
LAST MEETING
OXFORD, Miss. – A pair of second half fouls in the box cost Ole Miss dearly Sunday afternoon as the Rebels were unable to pull off a late comeback against South Alabama, falling 2-1 at the Ole Miss Soccer Stadium.
Play was fairly even through the first 45 minutes, with nearly a dead split in possession time for the two sides. Ole Miss had the best chance to score in the half, with Molly Martin rising up on a corner and putting a powerful header on goal. However, Jaguar keeper Justice Stanford was able to get in front of it to keep the score level.
The second half got off to a bumpy start for Ole Miss as Grace Johnson was called for a tug of the jersey in the box, resulting in an Ana Helmert penalty to give USA the lead in the 49th minute. The Rebels pushed forward in the ensuing minutes looking to equalize but again found themselves in a tough spot defensively as another penalty was called in the 62nd minute. This time it was Brenna McPartlan that stepped up, finishing to double the Jaguar lead.
Ole Miss responded quickly, scoring less than four minutes later to halve the deficit. The goal came off the left foot of Maddie Pezzino as the junior tucked a beautiful shot from 20 yards inside the upper right corner.
The Rebels continued to press on in an attempt to equalize before the final whistle but were unable to break down the South Alabama defense and find the back of the net. Channing Foster looked to have a picture perfect chance for a dramatic tying goal in the final minute but a diving USA defender was able to get in front of the shot for a crucial block.
OLE MISS ANNOUNCES UPDATED ATTENDANCE POLICY
In accordance with the State of Mississippi's latest executive orders, Ole Miss Athletics has announced updated attendance plans for soccer this spring. These policies will take effect beginning with games this weekend.
After player guest lists have been received from both the home and visiting teams, priority admission will be offered to a select group of supporters through the Ole Miss Soccer Kicker Club. Once those RSVPs are secured, remaining spots, which are expected to increase throughout the spring, will be offered to the general public on a first come, first served basis at the gates. Current members of the Kicker Club that meet criteria will receive an email with details on attending games.
Fans are required to wear a face covering upon entry into the facility, while in transit around the stadiums and may only remove them when at their seat. All other previously announced COVID-19 safety measures remain in place.
THE PRICE IS RIGHT
Following a stout defensive performance in Friday's clean sheet victory, freshman defender Price Loposer has been named SEC Defensive Player of the Week, the first SEC weekly honor of her career. The freshman shut down the Sun Belt's second-leading scorer in Sarah Sodoma and helped keep the Red Wolves off the board, holding them to four shots the entire game. The Madison, Mississippi, native also eliminated the only real threat in the 31st minute as she chased down one of the Red Wolves' attackers on a breakaway and made a clutch tackle inside the box. Starting each of her last 10 matches, Loposer has been a key addition to the Rebel backline this season. She is averaging over 82 minutes per game. Ole Miss is 8-2 with Loposer in the starting XI, including five straight wins this spring.
LANDSHARK DEFENSE
At Ole Miss, Landshark is a term that was first adopted by the Rebel football team's defensive unit. As part of that identity, defensive players celebrate big plays by putting a hand to their forehead in the shape of a shark fin. This spring, a different football team on campus has adopted the Landshark defensive mindset. The Rebels have yet to allow more than 10 shots in a game, including holding Samford to five shots, Georgia Southern to two shots and Arkansas State to four shots in clean sheet victories.
WHEN IT RAINS, IT POURS
During the month of March, Ole Miss had a flurry of offense, scoring three goals in each match. Against Memphis, the Rebels scored three times in a span of 11 minutes in the second half, with two goals coming from Haleigh Stackpole off both her left and right feet (47' and 52'). Saydie Holland also cleaned up a shot in the 58th minute, sending it into the back of the net. Five days later against Georgia, the Rebels scored three times in 10 minutes in the first half. Jenna Kemp recorded her first collegiate goal in the 22nd minute, followed by a Mo O'Connor goal six minutes later. Ramsey Davis capped off the scoring attack with a banger in the 32nd minute.
To close out the month, the Rebels put up 34 shots and scored three times against Georgia Southern. Two of those goals came within 57 seconds of each other. In the 16th minute, O'Connor slipped a pass to Channing Foster, who struck the ball far post past the Georgia Southern keeper from the left edge of the six-yard box. Fifty-seven seconds later, Molly Martin punched in a goal after Stackpole poked it towards her on a long throw-in. Jenna Kemp scored the final goal of the afternoon, sending home a cross from Stackpole with her head 33 seconds into the second half.
DERBY DUB
Haleigh Stackpole's brace and a flurry of offense to start the second half helped the Rebels dominate Memphis, 3-1, in the 23rd iteration of the derby between the two sides. Ole Miss came out of the half with a chip on its shoulder after the Tigers scored a last-second goal with a just a couple of tenths of a second left on the clock. Stackpole scored twice in the first eight minutes of the half as the Rebels pressed the Memphis back line and took the lead. Saydie Holland added the dagger in the 58th minute to give Ole Miss a two goal advantage. Orkus locked down the goal making five saves in the match. With the victory, the Rebels earned their first win in the rivalry in three years.
AND WITH THE 32ND PICK…
For the second time in three years, an Ole Miss Rebel heard her name called during the National Women's Soccer League College Draft, with senior Channing Foster being selected with the 32nd overall pick by the Chicago Red Stars. Despite the opportunity to enter the professional ranks, Foster intends to return to Ole Miss for a fifth season of eligibility in the fall of 2021 and will suit up for the Rebels this spring. The Murray, Kentucky, native is a familiar face to the Red Stars organization, having played for the club's Women's Premier Soccer League affiliate, helping lead the Chicago Red Stars Reserves to a WPSL Central Region Championship. The Reds Stars have also been on the wrong end of the senior's lethal left foot, with Foster scoring a stoppage time winner for the U-23 USWNT over Chicago in the 2019 Thorns Spring Invitational.
BEST OF THE BEST
Ole Miss' Channing Foster and Ashley Orkus are among 56 athletes have been named to the 2020-21 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List. The MAC Hermann Trophy is the most prestigious individual award in college soccer and is presented annually to the most outstanding male and female players of the year. The duo become the first Rebels to be named to the coveted watch list since CeCe Kizer in 2018. Ole Miss is one of six SEC schools with at least one player named to the watch list and one of three with multiple honorees, joining Arkansas and Texas A&M.
MOTT BOLSTERS DEFENSE WITH TRANSFER SYDNEY ASH
Matt Mott went out and added another key defender in Virginia Tech transfer Sydney Ash this January. A product of Riverside High School and FC Virginia DA, Ash brings two years of collegiate experience with her. Ash appeared in five matches for Virginia Tech as a freshman in 2019, playing a total of 134 minutes before her rookie campaign was cut short due to injury. She also missed the first four matches of the 2020 season before ultimately making eight appearances with seven starts on the back line. The sophomore will be eligible to compete for Ole Miss during the fall 2021 season.
SOCCER INKS EIGHT TO CLASS OF 2021
The Rebel coaching staff scoured the entirety of the south to bring in some of the nation's top talent, plucking the seven soon-to-be rookies from six different states. Adding to an Ole Miss roster that features standout performers from all around the country, Mott and his staff dipped into the talent pool in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina and Tennessee to continue to build the roster's depth.
Mott signed defender Kaitlin Maynard, a pair of midfielders in Ellie McIntyre and Lauren Montgomery and a trio of forwards, Amber Fortenberry, Maddie Bishop and Whitaker Buchanan. He also went out and added Canadian goalkeeper Alyssa Zalac to the signing class in late January.
Rounding out the 2021 class is Shea O'Malley from Cary, North Carolina. The defender was ranked as the No. 25 recruit in the nation by TopDrawerSoccer and was called up to the United States U17 Women's National Team. O'Malley graduated high school early and is on campus training with the Rebels. She isn't eligible to play during the spring season but will be on the pitch in the fall.
IMMEDIATE IMPACT
A trio of freshmen made an immediate impact on the pitch for the Rebels in the fall. Defenders Lucy Green and Price Loposer were thrown into the mix along with forward Ramsey Davis. The freshmen trio appeared in a combined 24 matches and logged 1,546 minutes. Green saw action in all nine games, starting seven of them. The Meridian, Mississippi, native also helped set up the game-tying goal in the 2-1 victory at No. 13 Vanderbilt. Loposer is another Mississippi product who came up big for the Rebels, starting the final five contests. Davis rounds out the group of star-studded freshmen. She played in all nine matches in the fall, earning five starts. Davis also scored her first collegiate goal at No. 13 Vanderbilt, tying the match in the 86th minute.
GAS IN THE TANK
Over her first three seasons as a Rebel, junior Haleigh Stackpole has proven to have deep reserves when it comes to energy. The Fort Bragg, North Carolina, native has been a fixture in the Ole Miss lineup ever since stepping foot on campus, starting all 51 matches of her collegiate career. Even more impressive, the box-to-box midfielder has hardly ever come off the field despite easily pacing the Rebels in distance ran every match, typically 9-10 miles. After ranking second on the team as a freshman at just over 84 minutes per match, Stackpole was subbed for just three total minutes in 2019, logging 1,899 minutes over 20 matches, and was on the pitch for the entirety of every game during the shortened fall season.
SHOW-STOPPING SHOT STOPPER
In November, Ole Miss junior Ashley Orkus was named the SEC Goalkeeper of the Year, receiving all 13 possible votes for a unanimous selection. Additionally, the Vestavia Hills, Alabama, native was bestowed with First Team All-SEC honors, the first all-conference nod of her career. She becomes just the second Rebel keeper to ever be named all-conference and the first First Team All-SEC honoree to play between the posts at Ole Miss. Orkus finished the fall regular season ranked second in the SEC in saves with 49 and save percentage at .817. In addition to her outstanding play on the defensive side, the Rebel keeper also contributed to the offense with three assists, tied for fourth most in the league and 18th in the nation.
FOUR-PEAT'S SAKE
For the fourth time in her career, Channing Foster has been bestowed with All-SEC honors, earning first team all-conference recognition for the second-consecutive season. Foster becomes just the second player in program-history to receive all-league laurels for a fourth time, joining Rebel great Danielle Johnson. Foster, the SEC's active leading goal scorer, ranked tied for sixth in the league during the regular season with three goals. The Murray, Kentucky, native saved her scoring for big moments, with all three of her goals going down as game-winners. The prolific senior's 33 career goals are the sixth most in school-history, putting Foster 15 goals behind two-time All-American CeCe Kizer's program-record.
WE OVER ME
Every year, the members of the Ole Miss soccer senior class come together to create a motto for that season's team. This year, the Rebels are rallying behind the "We Over Me" mindset, the idea that no single person is bigger than the team and that the entire group of 25 must work together in order to accomplish the team's goals. A specially designed "We Over Me" logo has been created and features in various areas such as warm up gear and the Ole Miss Soccer Stadium videoboard.
STRONGER TOGETHER
In early September, Ole Miss and 12 other institutions throughout the state of Mississippi announced the launching of the "Stronger Together" initiative to unite the state's athletics programs and communities in support of togetherness, diversity and equality.
During the 2020-21 academic year, college and university athletics programs in Mississippi will incorporate a special logo on their uniforms, equipment, warm-up gear or bags. The logo will serve as a visual representation of the state's schools coming together and will feature school-specific branding with the words "Stronger Together" inside the outline of Mississippi.
The campaign was created for the state's colleges and universities to come together, listen, learn and support student-athletes through their challenges, stresses and pressures related to events around the country. As part of the initiative, the schools will unite in their efforts to promote social justice and racial equality through advocacy, awareness and education.
FOLLOW THE REBS!
Fans can keep up with all the goings on around the Ole Miss soccer program by following the Rebels on the team's various social media platforms. You can find the Rebs on Twitter at @OleMissSoccer, on Instagram at
@OfficialOleMissSoccer or on Facebook by search "Ole Miss Soccer".
