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Keefer Records Hat Trick as Soccer Wins Regular Season Opener Against Southern
8/15/2024 | Soccer
OXFORD, Miss. – In her first collegiate game, freshman Kayla Keefer recorded a hat trick as Ole Miss defeated Southern 4-0, in its regular season opener at the Ole Miss Soccer Complex.
Keefer is the first freshman since Channing Foster in 2017 to record a hat trick and the 20th Rebel all-time to score three goals in a match. The last Rebel with a three piece was fellow teammate Kelly Brady against Louisiana Tech on Sept. 10 of last season.
Head coach Molly Rouse shared her general thoughts on the regular season opener:
“I think tonight was a good indication of a lot of the things that we’ve been working on in our training and we saw a lot of positive moments from the team. There are certainly some areas for us to be able to continue to improve on but it's early in the season, so for us it was a really good step in the right direction. I think there are some things defensively that we need to clean up, just being more connected between our lines. Also, just generating some cleaner attacking opportunities, not as many transitional moments, but trying to think about the next phase before it happens.”
The Rebels were on the attack early and often throughout the match generating 33 shots with 16 on goal. It was the most shots by a Rebel team in a game since March 27, 2021 against Georgia Southern.
Keefer put Ole Miss in front early with her first career goal coming in the third minute.
First career goal for Kayla Keefer ?? pic.twitter.com/heLkyurjnl
— Ole Miss Soccer (@OleMissSoccer) August 15, 2024
Keefer would add to the scoring column in the ninth off an Ole Miss corner kick. Freshman Katie Ramsden stood over the ball on the far side, delivering a perfect ball to Keefer who was able to find the back of the net.
Keefer capped off her scoring for the night in the 47th minute, this time off an assist from sophomore Grace Freeman.
Sophomore Gili Johnson joined the scoring fun in the 83rd minute putting the Rebels up four.
GILI ?????? pic.twitter.com/PdPlst9573
— Ole Miss Soccer (@OleMissSoccer) August 16, 2024
Sophomore keeper Taylor Prigge started between the posts for the Rebels with Sarah Margaret Seabrook following her in the second half. Neither was under too much pressure as Ole Miss dominated the time of possession battle.
Rouse on Keefer’s debut:
“Kayla coming in and being a part of our spring development phase was a huge benefit for her in her individual performance. Our team being able to put her in really good attacking opportunities and her being able to capitalize on those moments is a testament to our collective team attacking mentality. Her being able to step up in those moments for the team was really big.”
Ole Miss will be back on the pitch next Thursday at home against Georgia State.
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Team Stats
Kayla Keefer (3)
GOAL by OLE Keefer, Kayla.
02:34
Kayla Keefer (3)
Assisted By: Katie Ramsden
GOAL by OLE Keefer, Kayla Assist by Ramsden, Katie.
08:52
Kayla Keefer (3)
Assisted By: Grace Freeman
GOAL by OLE Keefer, Kayla Assist by Freeman, Grace.
46:22
Gili Johnson (1)
GOAL by OLE Johnson, Gili.
82:01
