(CeCe Kizer controls the ball in a recent game this season | Marlee Crawford)
The Ole Miss soccer team’s great season continues as their winning streak stretched to five games over the weekend, defeating Tennessee and 19th-ranked Texas A&M on the road. Ole Miss beat the Volunteers for the first time since 2003 and became the first team to beat the Aggies at College Station in 17 games.
The Rebels moved up one spot to No. 12 in this week’s National Soccer Association of America rankings and rocketed to 15th from 25th in the Top Drawer Soccer rankings. Ole Miss also clinched at least the third seed in the SEC tournament and put themselves in the conversation for a top 16 national seed in the NCAA tournament.
“For once at this time of year, we feel comfortable,” Matthew Mott, Ole Miss head coach, said at his weekly press conference. “Our RPI right now is 15th, which is great, and we will have a good chance at being a seeded team. That gives us a good chance of hosting.”
Freshman forward CeCe Kizer scored three goals on the weekend, including the game-tying and game-winning goals against Texas A&M. Her performance earned her SEC Freshman of online casino the Week and National Player of the Week honors from ESPNW and Top Drawer Soccer. Kizer is the only player this season to be named SEC Freshman of the Week more than once and ranks second in the SEC with 14 goals and 29 points.
The Rebel defense notched another shutout against Tennessee, their eighth of the season, and kept the team in the game against a powerful Texas A&M offense.
Ole Miss closes out their regular season schedule and will honor their seniors tonight against Vanderbilt at 7 p.m. at the Ole Miss Soccer Stadium.
“This senior class has been really special to changing the culture of the program,” Mott said. “We want to send them out the right way.”
The Commodores come into the game at .500, 7-7-4, but have defeated 17th-ranked South Carolina and could do the same to the Rebels if they don’t take them seriously. Vanderbilt is in a tight race with Kentucky and Tennessee to earn the final spot in the SEC tournament, so they will be motivated.
The Commodores fell to Georgia and Missouri last weekend, but previously had gone on a five-match unbeaten run.
“We will be playing a Vanderbilt team that is fighting for their lives. They want to get to Orange Beach for the SEC tournament,” Mott said. “They have one of the most dangerous forwards in the league in Simone Charley. We have to worry about her. They are a good team and we need to be prepared.”
Charley, a junior, is second in the SEC in shots and game-winning goals.
If the Rebels can contain Charley and the offense continues their strong play, they can move their winning streak to six and will have a lot of momentum heading into the SEC tournament next week.
