Soccer gearing up for final regular season match before postseason play

The women’s soccer regular season concludes Thursday night at home against the No. 7 Vanderbilt Commodores in what should be a competitive affair between two SEC Women’s Soccer Tournament-bound teams. Vanderbilt has clinched the top spot in the SEC while Ole Miss currently sits fifth with a tournament spot secured, but the Rebels need at least a draw against the Commodores to secure a first-round bye.

The SEC tournament hosts 10 teams with the top six earning the first-round bye, while the four remaining teams compete in a play-in game to become one of the eight left standing. With the Rebels sitting in fifth, they control their own destiny regarding the bye. However, if the Rebels lose on Thursday and both Texas A&M and LSU win their games, LSU would jump Ole Miss and claim the bye due to the two teams’ head-to-head results.

Vanderbilt has one of the best records in the nation, at 15-1-1. The Commodores have not lost a game in 16 matches, with their lone loss coming from Florida State in their season opener. Their leading goal scorer is redshirt freshman Haley Hopkins, who has 12 goals this season, putting her one goal behind Ole Miss senior CeCe Kizer, who has 13 goals heading into this matchup.

While the Commodores have a high-powered offense, Ole Miss has registered consecutive clean sheets. Those two shutouts came against two of the worst teams in the SEC according to standings, Kentucky and Mississippi State, so Vanderbilt should serve as a good measuring stick heading into postseason play.

Heading into the final game of the regular season, Ole Miss has scored 43 goals while only allowing 23. The Rebels have pitched seven clean sheets while only being shut out twice.

The Rebels’ leading goal scorer is Kizer with 13 goals, followed by sophomore Channing Foster at eight and freshman Haleigh Stackpole with four. Kizer also leads the team in assists with eight and junior Gabby Little and sophomore Grace Johnson are tied for second with four each.

Goalkeepers Marnie Merritt, senior, and Morgan McAslan, freshman, have seven clean sheets between the two of them this season. Merritt had five prior to her season ending prematurely because of a knee injury, and McAslan earned her first two career clean sheets in her last two games.

Thursday’s game is Senior Night, and the presentation recognizing the Rebels’ six seniors will be prior to the game. The team also has a few award winners and nominees this season, with Kizer being a finalist for the NCAA Senior Class Award as the SEC’s lone representative, and senior Marisa Kutchma being named to the SEC Soccer Community Service Team.