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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Thursday, September 26
Oxford, Miss
6 PM
Ole Miss
vs
Texas
Soccer Welcomes Texas to Oxford for First Time Thursday Night
9/25/2024 | Soccer
OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss returns home this Thursday and welcomes SEC newcomer Texas to Oxford for the first time Thursday night. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CT with Mike Watts (pxp) and Jill Loyden (analyst) on the call for SEC Network.
QUICK KICKS
LAST TIME OUT
Ole Miss was downed by LSU Sunday night in Baton Rouge in another one-goal match as the Tigers came away with a 1-0 victory. Shu Ohba made nine saves in the match, the most in her career as a Rebel. Three different Rebels took multiple shots on the night, but as a team Ole Miss was outshot 22-7. The Rebels were only able to put two shots on goal. LSU scored the go-ahead goal late in the first half after Andrea Iljkic put away her third goal of the season in the 44th minute to make it 1-0 Tigers.
SCOUTING THE LONGHORNS
Texas (7-1-2, 0-1-1 SEC) comes to Oxford after falling at No. 24 Mississippi State 0-1 this past Sunday in Starkville. The Longhorns have five players with multiple goals so far this season with Lexi Missimo leading the way with seven. Missimo also leads with five assists and 19 points through 10 games. As a team Texas has scored 24 goals while surrendering only seven and have dished out 32 assists. Mia Justus has started all 10 games between the posts for the Longhorns, making 35 saves. Justus along with the Longhorn back line have combined for five shutout victories in 2024. Texas is led by Angela Kelly who is in her 13th year at the helm of the program. Kelly has 25 years of Division I experience and spent 12 seasons at Tennessee before arriving in Austin. She has compiled a 302-159-54 record in her 25 seasons as a college coach.
SADDLE UP
The Longhorns will visit Oxford for the first time ever and it will be just the second time the teams have played. The lone matchup occurred when the Rebels took down Texas 1-0, to secure their first ever NCAA tournament win on Nov. 14, 2003. The victory also marked the 100th win in program history. Rodeo night is the theme and powder cowboy hats will be the giveaway item while supplies last. Two-dollar drinks will be on sale for students and Club Red games will take place at the half.
IN THE TRENCHES
The defensive front for Ole Miss has been the strength of the group in 2024. The trio of Hattie Patterson, Tate Blincoe, and Riley Friesen have started all 11 games on the pitch, and each have seen over 850 minutes of action. Patterson, a sophomore from Dallas, Texas has played the full 90 minutes in nine of the 11 games this season including six straight. Tate Blincoe has been a bright spot for the defensive room in 2024. The freshman from Bardstown, Kentucky gained valuable experience with Racing Louisville in the club ranks prior to arriving in Oxford. Senior Riley Friesen leads the Rebels on the defensive front and has played the full 90 minutes in six straight matches. The Rebels have four shutout wins this season all coming on home soil.
SPREADING THE LOVE
Ten different Rebels have scored through eleven games in 2024. Kayla Keefer leads the way with four, with Kelly Brady having three. Evie Ewing, Sarah Granno, Gili Johnson, Bella Leonard, Astrid Nyquist, Kate Smith, Grace Freeman, and Aubrey Mister each have one. In four of their five wins this season, the Rebels have generated 15 or more shots. Across the five matches they have outshot their opponents (93-36), good for a plus 57 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
Get rewarded for attending events by joining Rebel Rewards powered by Coca-Cola, the official fan loyalty program of the Ole Miss Rebels. Download the Ole Miss Sports mobile app, sign up for a Rebel Rewards account, and start earning points immediately that can be redeemed for exclusive prizes and experiences.
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Rebels by following Ole Miss Soccer on X at @OleMissSoccer, on the Ole Miss Soccer Facebook page, and on Instagram at @officialolemisssoccer. Subscribe to the Ole Miss soccer newsletter stay up to date with the best content from the pitch.
QUICK KICKS
- Ole Miss dropped its last game at LSU 0-1 this past Sunday.
- Ole Miss and Texas have met just one previous time on Nov. 14, 2003, when the Rebels took down the Longhorns 1-0, to secure their first ever NCAA tournament win.
- The win against Texas also marked the 100th win in program history.
- Shu Ohba made a season-high nine saves in the match at LSU on Sept. 22. It is the most saves she's made in an Ole Miss uniform.
- Kelly Brady scored her third goal of the season in the SEC opener at Tennessee on Sept. 19.
- Kayla Keefer leads the Rebels in scoring with four goals and two assists for 10 total points.
- Freshman Katie Ramsden leads the Rebels in assists, dishing one out in two of her last four matches.
- Ten different Rebels have scored a goal so far this season: Kayla Keefer (4), Kelly Brady (3), Evie Ewing, Sarah Granno, Gili Johnson, Bella Leonard, Astrid Nyquist, Kate Smith, Grace Freeman, and Aubrey Mister each have one.
- In four of the five wins this season, the Rebels have generated 15 or more shots: Southern (33), Georgia State (15), McNeese (22), and at Samford (16).
- In the five victories the Rebels have outshot their opponents (93-36) good for a plus 57 margin.
- 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.
LAST TIME OUT
Ole Miss was downed by LSU Sunday night in Baton Rouge in another one-goal match as the Tigers came away with a 1-0 victory. Shu Ohba made nine saves in the match, the most in her career as a Rebel. Three different Rebels took multiple shots on the night, but as a team Ole Miss was outshot 22-7. The Rebels were only able to put two shots on goal. LSU scored the go-ahead goal late in the first half after Andrea Iljkic put away her third goal of the season in the 44th minute to make it 1-0 Tigers.
SCOUTING THE LONGHORNS
Texas (7-1-2, 0-1-1 SEC) comes to Oxford after falling at No. 24 Mississippi State 0-1 this past Sunday in Starkville. The Longhorns have five players with multiple goals so far this season with Lexi Missimo leading the way with seven. Missimo also leads with five assists and 19 points through 10 games. As a team Texas has scored 24 goals while surrendering only seven and have dished out 32 assists. Mia Justus has started all 10 games between the posts for the Longhorns, making 35 saves. Justus along with the Longhorn back line have combined for five shutout victories in 2024. Texas is led by Angela Kelly who is in her 13th year at the helm of the program. Kelly has 25 years of Division I experience and spent 12 seasons at Tennessee before arriving in Austin. She has compiled a 302-159-54 record in her 25 seasons as a college coach.
SADDLE UP
The Longhorns will visit Oxford for the first time ever and it will be just the second time the teams have played. The lone matchup occurred when the Rebels took down Texas 1-0, to secure their first ever NCAA tournament win on Nov. 14, 2003. The victory also marked the 100th win in program history. Rodeo night is the theme and powder cowboy hats will be the giveaway item while supplies last. Two-dollar drinks will be on sale for students and Club Red games will take place at the half.
IN THE TRENCHES
The defensive front for Ole Miss has been the strength of the group in 2024. The trio of Hattie Patterson, Tate Blincoe, and Riley Friesen have started all 11 games on the pitch, and each have seen over 850 minutes of action. Patterson, a sophomore from Dallas, Texas has played the full 90 minutes in nine of the 11 games this season including six straight. Tate Blincoe has been a bright spot for the defensive room in 2024. The freshman from Bardstown, Kentucky gained valuable experience with Racing Louisville in the club ranks prior to arriving in Oxford. Senior Riley Friesen leads the Rebels on the defensive front and has played the full 90 minutes in six straight matches. The Rebels have four shutout wins this season all coming on home soil.
SPREADING THE LOVE
Ten different Rebels have scored through eleven games in 2024. Kayla Keefer leads the way with four, with Kelly Brady having three. Evie Ewing, Sarah Granno, Gili Johnson, Bella Leonard, Astrid Nyquist, Kate Smith, Grace Freeman, and Aubrey Mister each have one. In four of their five wins this season, the Rebels have generated 15 or more shots. Across the five matches they have outshot their opponents (93-36), good for a plus 57 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
Get rewarded for attending events by joining Rebel Rewards powered by Coca-Cola, the official fan loyalty program of the Ole Miss Rebels. Download the Ole Miss Sports mobile app, sign up for a Rebel Rewards account, and start earning points immediately that can be redeemed for exclusive prizes and experiences.
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Rebels by following Ole Miss Soccer on X at @OleMissSoccer, on the Ole Miss Soccer Facebook page, and on Instagram at @officialolemisssoccer. Subscribe to the Ole Miss soccer newsletter stay up to date with the best content from the pitch.
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