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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
Southern Miss
Soccer Set for Early Kickoff Against Southern Miss
9/11/2024 | Soccer
OXFORD, Miss. – Due to the potential effects of Hurricane Francine Thursday in Oxford, Ole Miss Soccer has moved the start time of its match against Southern Miss up to 11 a.m. The match will still be streamed on SEC Network+, but it will be a limited stream with a single camera angle. There will be no concessions or merchandise available due to the early start time.
QUICK KICKS
• Ole Miss enters after a 2-1 victory at Samford this past Sunday.
• The Rebels and Eagles last met on August 17, 2023. Ole Miss won that game 2-0 and leads the all-time series 11-0-1.
• Kayla Keefer recorded the game winning goal for Ole Miss in the final minute of regulation at Samford. She tallied three points in the match via one goal and one assist.
• Grace Freeman recorded her first collegiate goal in the win at Samford.
• Nine different Rebels have scored a goal so far this season: Kayla Keefer (4), Evie Ewing, Kelly Brady, Sarah Granno, Gili Johnson, Bella Leonard, Astrid Nyquist, Kate Smith, and Grace Freeman each have one.
• In all four wins this season, the Rebels have generated 15 or more shots: Southern (33), Georgia State (15), McNeese (22), and at Samford (16).
• In those four victories the Rebels have outshot their opponents (86-27) good for a plus 59 margin.
• Keefer earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors for the first time in her career on August 19.
• Keefer became 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.
• Ole Miss generated 33 shots, 16 of them being on goal in their opening win vs. Southern. It was the most shots by a Rebel team in a game since March 27, 2021 against Georgia Southern.
• Kelly Brady, Aubrey Mister, Lauren Montgomery, Shu Ohba, and Hattie Patterson were all named to the 2024 SEC Preseason Watchlist.
• The Rebels return their top two goal scorers from last season in senior Kelly Brady and sophomore Gili Johnson, who accounted for 66.7 percent of total scoring and 52.2 percent of total points in 2023.
• Ole Miss returns 90 percent of its total assists, 84.8 percent of total points, and 83.3 percent of total goals from 2023.
• Shu Ohba led the SEC in saves (67) and ranked second in save percentage (.838) during the 2023 regular season.
• The Rebels have added three freshmen from outside the U.S. in Katie Ramsden (England), Astrid Nyquist (Sweden), and Taylor Howarth (England).
LAST TIME OUT
The Rebels picked up their first road win of the season in dramatic fashion Sunday afternoon, defeating Samford 2-1. Freshman Kayla Keefer scored the game winner in the final minute of play to give Ole Miss their first win over the Bulldogs since the 2020 season. Keefer had her biggest offensive day since the season opener, scoring the game-winning goal and dishing out an assist on the first goal of the day scored by Grace Freeman. Freeman scored the first goal of her career early in the second half to give the Rebels their first lead of the match. Samford would respond in the 68th minute with a goal from Samantha De Luca to knot things at one. Ole Miss remained composed until the end when Brenlin Mullaney delivered an outstanding ball from midfield to Keefer who found the back of the net to put the Rebels up 2-1, with second left on the clock.
KAYLA. KEEFER. ARE YOU KIDDING ME???
— Ole Miss Soccer (@OleMissSoccer) September 8, 2024
In the waning moments, gives us a 2-1 lead! pic.twitter.com/lDs7uMTnzO
SCOUTING THE EAGLES
Southern Miss (1-3-0) enters after falling to UAB this past Sunday in Hattiesburg. The Blazers capitalized on a free kick opportunity in the 33rd minute of the first half for the lone goal of the game. The Golden Eagles feature a roster with 16 returners. Southern Miss' ten newcomers include eight freshmen and two transfers. Raquelle Mitchell leads the team with two goals and four points on the season. Four different players have an assist through four games including Alice Williamson who leads the Golden Eagles with 14 shots this season. Mohammed El-Zare enters his twelfth season as the head coach of Southern Miss Soccer, holding a 76-89-28 all-time record as the program's winningest coach.
SPREADING THE LOVE
Nine different Rebels have scored through seven games in 2024. Kayla Keefer leads the way with four. Evie Ewing, Kelly Brady, Sarah Granno, Gili Johnson, Bella Leonard, Astrid Nyquist, Kate Smith, and Grace Freeman each have one. In their four wins this season, the Rebels have generated 15 or more shots in every game. In those three matches they have outshot their opponents (86-27), good for a plus 59 margin. Ole Miss generated 33 shots, 16 of them being on goal in their opening win vs. Southern. It was the most shots by a Rebel team in a game since March 27, 2021 against Georgia Southern.
SEC FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
The Southeastern Conference named Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania native Kayla Keefer as the SEC Soccer Freshman of the Week on August 19. Keefer picked up her first award after just one game on the pitch for the Rebels. She is the first Rebel since 2020 to receive Freshman of the Week honors.
Keefer became 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. She led an explosive offensive attack in which Ole Miss generated 33 shots, 16 of them being on goal in their opening win vs. Southern. It was the most shots by a Rebel team in a game since March 27, 2021 against Georgia Southern.
BUILD
Molly Rouse enters year two at the helm of the Ole Miss Soccer program after being hired in May of 2023. She compiled a 7-7-3 record in year one, winning her first regular season game and her first conference game. The Rebels forced seven shutouts in 2023 and allowed one or fewer goals in 12 of the 17 matches. Ole Miss ranked fourth in the SEC in goals allowed per game (1.18) and fourth in goals allowed on the season (20).
PUT THE LEAGUE ON NOTICE
Five Rebels were named to the 2024 SEC Preseason Watchlist Wednesday morning including Kelly Brady, Aubrey Mister, Lauren Montgomery, Shu Ohba, and Hattie Patterson.
Brady returns for her senior season after leading the Rebel attack in 2023 with eight goals scored. She converted all three of her penalty kick opportunities and scored four game winners. Mister was the Rebels’ assist leader last season and finished third on the team in points. Montgomery finished third on the team in minutes played and started in every game but one.
Ohba started 14 games in goal for the Rebels last year, putting up the fifth-lowest single season goals against average in program history. Patterson played in all 17 games on the back line as a freshman for the Rebels last year.
RETURNING FIREPOWER
Ole Miss will return its top two goal scorers from a season ago. Senior Kelly Brady led the team in goals scored, points, shots, shots on goal, and penalty kicks. She became the first Rebel to score a hat trick since 2018 and converted all three of the Rebels’ penalty kick attempts on the year. Sophomore Gili Johnson finished second on the team in total points, goals scored, and shots on goal. She tallied four goals on the season including a brace against Louisiana Tech on Sept. 10. Johnson saw 860 minutes of action in her rookie season, appearing in all 17 games making 10 starts.
BRICK WALL
One of the premier keepers in the SEC returns between the posts in 2024 for the Rebels in Shu Ohba. Ohba enters fresh off competing with Team Japan as an alternate goalkeeper at the 2024 Paris Olympics. In her 15 games last season she led the SEC in saves and saves per match, making 67 saves for an average of 4.47 per game. Ohba ranked second in the conference in save percentage (.838) and posted seven shutouts in her 2023 campaign. She earned SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors twice, becoming the first Rebel since 2012 to do so. Ohba also received All-SEC Second Team honors and was selected to the 2023 United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region Team.
AN IMPRESSIVE FRESHMAN CLASS
The program welcomes 12 freshmen to the roster for the 2024 season. Kayla Keefer earned three varsity letters at Central Columbia and was named the 2023 Gatorade Player of the Year in Pennsylvania. The trio of Astrid Nyquist, Katie Ramsden and Taylor Howarth all hail from international countries. Tate Blincoe arrives in Oxford after lettering in soccer, football and track in high school.
Tatum Hofstetter and Sofia Barrie both come to Ole Miss from the state of Arizona and Grace Smith joins the Rebels from Cypress, Texas. Maryann Beach scored 44 goals and dished out 28 assists in her high school career while Ally Thomas looks to add length to the Rebel back line. Rounding out the newcomers is Georgia Skelton who led Atlee to a 2021 Region Championship and Adora Nwosu who was a dual-sport athlete at Aaron Academy.
THROUGH THE PORTAL
Five players joined the Rebels during the offseason in EK Uithoven, Bella Leonard, Erin Martin, Taylor Prigge, and Sarah Granno. Uithoven returns to the Magnolia state after three seasons in Tucson at Arizona. Sophomore Bella Leornard arrives in Oxford after one year at Notre Dame.
Senior Erin Martin appeared in 55 games at Georgetown, making 15 starts. She earned BIG EAST All-Freshman honors her rookie season and earned BIG EAST All-Academic accolades her sophomore campaign. Sophomore Taylor Prigge looks to bolster the goalkeeper room coming over from Utah.
Sophomore Sarah Granno arrives in Oxford after one season at Memphis. The Roseville, California native appeared in 15 matches and scored one goal for the Tigers.
STAY CONNECTED
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