The Ole Miss soccer team has dominated their non-conference opponents this season, going undefeated with a 6-0-2 record.
In conference matches, however, things have been much tougher for the Rebels, shown by their 2-3 start in the SEC. Opposing SEC teams have been able to slow down a potent Ole Miss offense. Leading scorer CeCe Kizer has 11 goals on the season, but only two have come in conference play.
Ole Miss played well in their two conference wins, overcoming a 2-0 halftime deficit to defeat Alabama 3-2 and then dominating LSU from the start in a 2-0 victory. Being a part of the SEC means the schedule will do you no favors. Two of the losses were to ranked opponents, 20th-ranked Kentucky and 12th-ranked Florida, with the third loss coming against a tough Missouri team.
The difficult schedule will not let up, as three of the Rebels’ final six opponents are ranked 17th or higher in the NSCAA Coaches’ Poll. Five of them are at .500 or better. On Friday, Ole Miss will head to Fayetteville to take on the Arkansas Razorbacks, who are much better than their 5-6-1 record would indicate. They have defeated a good TCU squad and played 10th ranked South Carolina to a 2-2 draw.
The Rebels will return to Oxford Sunday to take on the Gamecocks, who are national title contenders this season. They feature a win over 17th-ranked Texas A&M, and their only loss this season was to 7th-ranked Clemson. Their offense is tied with Florida for the best in the conference, averaging 2.75 goals per game while their defense averages 0.89 goals allowed.
Ole Miss then has to turn around and face another national title contender, 8th-ranked Auburn.
The Tigers’ defense is very good. They’ve notched six shutouts on the season and have not allowed more than two goals in a game. The Rebels then go on the road to face a talented Tennessee team that features U.S. U-20 international Carlyn Baldwin and played 9th-ranked Virginia Tech to a 1-1 draw. The Volunteers have a lights-out defense that is one of the best in the country, allowing just five goals in 12 games. Ole Miss will then continue their road trip to take on the Aggies in College Station, then close the regular season at home against Vanderbilt.
After missing out on the SEC Tournament last season, Ole Miss will have to find a way to beat the teams in front of them in the standings.
The Rebels have plenty of talent, but the defense will have to continue to adjust after losing four-year starter and captain Samantha Sanders to a knee injury.
Kizer is just a freshman, but she is already a crucial component of the Rebel offense and will have to continue to adjust to the faster and more physical play in the SEC. If they can make those adjustments and head coach Matthew Mott makes sure they play to their potential, this team can turn some heads down the stretch.
