Ian Sparks
With just three games left in the regular season, the Rebels are in need of momentum and some big wins to carry into the SEC tournament. Thus far, they have produced solid results against some tough teams, like in this matchup with the University of South Carolina Gamecocks.
South Carolina came into the match ranked No. 15 in the nation, making them the second ranked team that Ole Miss has played this year. When factoring in that Ole Miss’ road record, 1-5-1, is nothing short of abysmal, it makes this result even more impressive.
As they have all season, the Rebels kicked off the match in a frenzy. They possessed the ball for the majority of the first half and were able to win it back quickly. They outshot the Gamecocks 7-5 in the first half, with three of them being on target and forcing USC keeper Heather Hinz into three saves.
Their best spell came toward the end of the half, when midfielder Aubrey Mister picked up the ball outside the box and let it fly from nearly 25 yards out, much like her goal against Missouri just two games ago, only to see her effort hit the crossbar.
The Rebels kept the pressure on USC to start the second half. Ole Miss took the first five shots of the period, forcing two saves. With around 15 minutes left, the Gamecocks hit their stride. There was a shift in momentum as they started to pin the Rebels in their half and looked dangerous to score.
From the 75th minute on, USC had five shots and forced Ohba into two good saves. The Rebel defense was under intense pressure and conceded corners, free kicks and a couple of good chances, but Ole Miss held strong and kept the Gamecocks off the scoreboard.
To put this in perspective, South Carolina has lost one and drawn two matches at home this year for a home record of 6-1-2. Even though it was only a draw, a result like this is huge for the Rebels’ momentum going into the final stretch of the season.
The Rebels have an equally impressive home record, an undefeated line of 5-0-2. This will be put to the test in their next match as they host the reigning conference champions: Alabama. The Tide will come to Oxford on Oct. 19 in the first of two remaining home games for the Rebels.
