Sophomore defender Grace Johnson has been named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week after Ole Miss soccer’s back-to-back shutout wins over Kentucky and Mississippi State in the Rebels’ most recent two matches.
Johnson has been the backbone of the Rebel defensive line during its recent climb up the SEC standings. The Rebels were the only team in the conference to record a clean sheet this week.
Grace Johnson dribbles past a Memphis soccer player during the Rebels’ matchup with the Tigers earlier this season. File photo by Christian Johnson
The center back from Centerville, Utah, led the team in challenges won, air challenges won and successful tackles in the 2-0 win over Kentucky on Thursday. Johnson did not commit a foul while stifling the Kentucky attack.
Johnson earned her stripes, however, with her performance against No. 25 Mississippi State on Sunday. Johnson and the Rebel defense held Zakirah McGillivary and MaKayla Waldner, two of the top scorers in the conference, to one shot on goal in the 2-0 win to keep the Magnolia Cup in Oxford for the fourth time in five seasons.
“Those defenders back there were really, really good all weekend long,” head coach Matt Mott said in his weekly press conference. “State is known for being very dangerous to defend. They put a ton of pressure on you and a bunch of balls in the box, and I thought our defense handled it brilliantly.”
Johnson is the second Rebel to earn the honor this season, joining senior goalkeeper Marnie Merritt who was named to the list three weeks ago.
The Rebels are tied for fifth place in the SEC, with a 5-3-1 record and 16 points in the conference table. The top six seeds earn a first-round bye in the SEC tournament. The two wins over the past week helped the team clinch a spot in the SEC Tournament in Orange Beach, Alabama, next week.
Johnson and the Rebels will try to finish the regular season with one of their best performances when No 12. Vanderbilt rolls into Oxford on Thursday.
The Commodores won the conference regular season title with a 4-1 win over Kentucky on Sunday. The only times Vanderbilt left the pitch without a victory this season were a loss to No. 14 Florida State in August and a scoreless draw with No. 8 South Carolina.
“They are the outright champions and are certainly a very, very good and dangerous team,” Mott said. “It will be senior night as we honor our great senior class. We are going to miss them, so we need to send them off the right way.”
Seniors Marnie Merritt, CeCe Kizer, Marisa Kutchma, Mary Kate Smith, Ella Frischknecht and Tara Sullivan will be recognized before the match set for a 6 p.m. kickoff Thursday.
BREAKING | @graciegirl1414 has been named the @SEC Defensive Player of the Week‼️
? https://t.co/KIUe1AyoLs #OneMore #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/N8d0PSnJgF
— Ole Miss Soccer (@OleMissSoccer) October 22, 2018
