The Ole Miss soccer team is back in action, as it plays its regular season finale tonight in Oxford against in-state rival Mississippi State.
The Rebels (13-4-2, 6-3-1 Southeastern Conference) enter tonight’s matchup with much more on the line and much higher hopes than the Bulldogs (3-14-0, 0-10-0 SEC). Ole Miss is preparing not only for a deep run in the SEC Tournament, but also vying for a spot in the NCAA Tournament as well.
Mississippi State, despite having the conference’s fourth-leading scorer in senior forward Elizabeth Sullivan, is one of the worst offensive teams in the conference and has the worst record. Sullivan’s 15 goals this year account for nearly 70 percent of the Bulldogs offense on the season. Mississippi State is averaging just 1.29 goals per game, which is the second worst in the SEC.
Defensively, the Bulldogs are last in the conference, as they are giving up 2.82 goals per game. However, they are also first in the SEC in saves per game with an average of 5.88. Meanwhile, Ole Miss ranks first in goals per game at 2.37 and fifth in goals per game against at 0.97.
On paper, Ole Miss is undoubtedly the better team, but in an intense rivalry matchup, Rebel head coach Matt Mott knows it could go either way.
“(When we play Mississippi State) we throw out the records and we play,” Mott said in a release by Ole Miss Sports Information. “It’s been tight every year we’ve played them. They have one of the best forwards in the league in Elisabeth Sullivan, who’s scored 14 goals this season. We have two of the best forwards in the league in Rafelle Souza and Mandy McCalla. Hopefully, there will be some goals. It should be a very exciting game, certainly on Halloween.”
Ole Miss is on the cusp of tying for the best season in school history, as a 14th win would equal the school-record total set in 2005. Souza, McCalla and senior goalkeeper Kelly McCormick look to improve their places in Rebel history on Thursday.
Souza and McCalla are both top-five all-time scorers in Ole Miss history, with 38 and 33 goals respectively. A win against Mississippi State would give McCormick both her personal best individual season, with 14 wins, and leave her tied for the all-time wins record, with 32.
Seniors Souza and McCalla as well as midfielder Erin Emerson, midfielder Emily Reid and goalkeeper Brianna Supulski will be honored during senior night activities.
The Halloween game, known as the Magnolia Cup, is scheduled for kick-off at 7 p.m. at the Ole Miss Soccer Complex.
— Nick Eley
