Oct. 5, 2011

Game Notes

OXFORD, Miss.  – The Ole Miss soccer team will hit the road this weekend for a pair of SEC matches at No. 20 Tennessee and Georgia.

The Rebels (5-6-1 overall, 1-3 SEC) will take on the Lady Vols (8-3 overall, 2-2 SEC) on Friday at 6 p.m. CT and will face the Bulldogs (8-4 overall, 2-2 SEC) on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT.

“It will take focus and determination this weekend to find points on the road at Tennessee and Georgia,” head coach Matt Mott said.  “We are excited for the opportunity and look forward to competing against two excellent opponents.”

OLE MISS-No. 20 TENNESSEE
Tennessee leads the all-times series between the two schools, 9-3-2. The Lady Vols won last year’s meeting 3-1 in Oxford on October10.

Tennessee is 9-3 overall (2-2 SEC) this season. The Lady Vols are coming off a 2-0 loss at LSU and a 4-0 win at Arkansas. Offensively, Caroline Brown (24 points) leads the team in points and
goals (9) while Emily Dowd is second with 21 points and eight goals. As a team, the Lady Vols have scored 29 goals while holding its opponents to 10.

Goalkeeper Julie Eckel has started all 12 games. She has allowed 10 goals (0.83 GAA), made 54 saves and has recorded four shutouts.

OLE MISS-GEORGIA
The all-time series between the two schools is tied at 7-7-2. Last season, Ole Miss and then No. 18 Georgia battled to a 2-2 (2OT) tie in Oxford on October 8.

This season, the Bulldogs are 8-4 overall and 2-2 in SEC play. Georgia is coming off of 1-0 win at Arkansas and a 2-1 loss at LSU.

Offensively, the Bulldogs are led by Alexa Newfield (23 points, nine goals) and Ashley Miller who has recorded seven point on three goals and one assist.

Goalkeeper Ashley Baker has started all 12 games. She has allowed 14 goals (1.17 GAA), has made 48 saves and recorded two shutouts.

OLE MISS IN THE SEC STATS
As a team, the Rebels are fourth in goals (27), fifth in saves (55), fifth in points (72) and fifth in shutouts (5).

Individually, Rafaelle Souza is tied for first in points (24), tied for first in goals (9), tied for fourth in assists (6), tied for second in shots (45) and tied for third in game-winning goals (4). Goalkeeper Alley Ronaldi is ninth in save percentage (.759), seventh in saves (41) and is tied for eighth in shutouts (2).

SOUZA ON PACE TO ENTER SINGLE-SEASON RECORD BOOK
Rafaelle Souza is on pace to break into Ole Miss’ season record book for points, assists and goals in a season. To date, she has recorded 24 points, nine goals and six assists. She needs two points,
one goal and two assists to break into Ole Miss’ top-10 record book for each category.

SOUZA SPARKS OFFENSE
Rafaelle Souza has recorded nine goals and six assists this year to lead the team in scoring, assists and points (24). She scored the team’s first five goals of the year and added her first career assist against Jackson State. Souza recorded at least one goal in each of her first three career games at Ole Miss and has recorded all four of Ole Miss’ game-winning goals this year.

McCORMICK RECORDS FIRST SOLO SHUTOUT
Freshman Kelly McCormick recorded her first career solo shutout against Alabama in a 3-0 win. With the win, McCormick improved to 2-1 this season. She has made 14 saves in allowed four goals in her five appearances for the Rebels.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Ole Miss will host nationally-ranked Florida on Friday, October 14 at 7 p.m. followed by a home game on Sunday, October 16 against South Carolina at 1 p.m.