Ole Miss soccer has scored 16 goals across its two games this season. Its opponents both have none.
After defeating Alabama State 8-0 in their home opener on Friday, the Rebels turned around and defeated Northwestern State by the same score Sunday night. Their second dominant performance in a row was once again driven by the foot of junior CeCe Kizer, who brought her goal total to five on the season with two Sunday.
Kizer was named SEC Offensive Player of the Week after she matched her goal total from all of last year in only two games. The forward from Overland Park, Kansas, took only 30 minutes to reach a hat trick Friday night, and she topped off an excellent weekend of soccer with a beautiful shot from 25 yards out into the right corner of the goal Sunday night.
Sophomore, Gabby Little, prepares to score a goal Sunday night against Northwest State. (Photo by Taylar Teel)
Freshman Channing Foster copied Kizer’s act from Friday by knocking in three goals, the first of her Ole Miss career, against the Northwestern State defense.
The Rebels scored first in the third minute after a Northwestern State defender mistakenly flicked it past her own keeper for an own goal after a cross by sophomore Julia Phillips. Only a few minutes later, the Rebels doubled their lead after Kizer beat the keeper off of a nice assist from Gabby Little. Foster scored the first of her three goals by taking advantage of a deflection by the keeper and heading it to the back of the net in the 12th minute. Foster found herself with the brace only 11 minutes later after positioning herself at the end of a cross by Mary Kate Smith. Chanel Thomas would make the score 5-0 before halftime after a solo run and goal.
After the half, Mary Kate Smith landed another assist after putting a cross into the box that Julia Phillips headed into the corner. Kizer’s long shot put the game at 7-0 before Foster put away another deflection in the 66th minute to give her the hat trick and the Rebels another impressive win.
The Rebels’ defense was once again stifling, allowing only two shots all game on goalkeeper Marnie Merritt and playing well up the field to keep continued possession of the ball. Throughout their two shutouts, they have only allowed six total shots.
The statistics from this game back up the Rebels’ dominance. They took 26 shots compared to Northwestern State’s two and eight corners to Northwestern State’s one. The Rebels look to chalk up another victory as they face Michigan at 7 p.m. Friday.
