With just three games remaining in the regular season, the Rebels need momentum and big wins to advance to the SEC Tournament. So far, they have produced strong results against tough teams, like in this game against the University of South Carolina Gamecocks.
South Carolina entered the game ranked 15th in the country, making them the second ranked team Ole Miss has played this year. When you take into account that Ole Miss’s road record, 1-5-1, is nothing short of abysmal, it makes this result even more impressive.
As they have all season, the Rebels started the game with a frenzy. They possessed the ball for most of the first half and were able to get it back quickly. They outscored the Gamecocks 7-5 in the first half, with three of them on target and forcing USC goalkeeper Heather Hinz to make three saves.
Their best spell came near the end of the half, when midfielder Aubrey Mister collected the ball outside the box and let it fly nearly 25 yards, much like his goal against Missouri just two games ago, only to see his effort hit the ball. cross-bar.
The Rebels kept the pressure on USC to start the second half. Ole Miss made the first five shots of the period, forcing two stops. With about 15 minutes left, the Gamecocks found their rhythm. There was a shift in momentum as they began to pin the Rebels in their own half and looked dangerous to score.
Starting in the 75th minute, USC had five shots and forced Ohba into two good saves. The Rebel defense was under intense pressure and gave up corners, free kicks and a few good chances, but Ole Miss held on and kept the Gamecocks off the scoreboard.
To put that in perspective, South Carolina lost one game and tied one game at home this year for a 6-1-2 home record. Even though it was only a draw, a result like this is huge for the Rebels’ momentum heading into the latter part 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 game as they host the defending conference champions: Alabama. The Tide will arrive in Oxford on October 19 in the first of the Rebels’ two remaining home games.
