The 21st-ranked Rebel soccer team earned their second straight win over a top 10 team with a 2-0 victory over the 10-ranked Auburn Tigers Friday night at the Ole Miss Soccer Stadium.
The Rebels improved to 11-3-2 with the victory. It was the first time in program history that the Rebels defeated two top 10 opponents consecutively.
“We’re excited. Those are two really good wins for us,” Mathew Mott, head coach, said. “This league is so tight, and home games are really important. So for us to come out of here with two points is really great for our mentality.”
The two wins have given the Rebels a lot of confidence.
“They feel really good about it, and they should,” Mott said. “They got two shutouts and two two-goal wins.”
Auburn controlled the game in the first half, holding a lot of possession in Rebel territory, but Ole Miss got on the board in minute 38. After Auburn redshirt freshman goalkeeper Sarah Le Beau initially made a great save on a point blank shot from junior forward Gretchen Harknett, the ball was played out wide to the right for senior midfielder Bethany Bunker, who sent in a cross toward goal. The ball went straight at Le Beau but then went off her hands and into the net to give the Rebels a 1-0 lead.
Junior forward Addie Forbus extended the lead to 2-0 in minute 49. Harknett sent in a cross from the right side, and Forbus leaped up and headed it past Le Beau and into the left side of the net.
“Gretchen (Harknett) got the ball out wide, and I saw that she beat her player. She got her head up, and I knew that was my cue to make the run into the box,” Forbus said. “As soon as it left her foot, I knew I had to get on the end of it.”
The goal was Forbus’ 10th of the season, moving her one shy of freshman forward CeCe Kizer’s team lead.
The Rebel defense posted its second straight shutout. Auburn took 21 shots on the game, but none found the back of the net.
“Everybody on the field put in a huge defensive effort,” Maddie Friedmann, senior defender, said. “Winning our individual battles has been a focus of ours, and I think it worked.”
Friedman said the Rebels are playing well, but are making sure they don’t get caught up in the moment.
“We have a lot of confidence, but we’re also a team that knows to remain humble because games can go any way,” Fridmann said. “It can be taken from you just as quickly as you received it.”
This week the Rebels will head out on a two game road trip to take on Tennessee on Friday and 22-ranked Texas A&M on Sunday.
“We’re not done,” Mott said. “Tennessee is excellent, and Texas A&M is one of the best teams in our conference. So, we have to be ready.”
