BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Ole Miss tackles a pair of road games this week but first heads to Birmingham this Thursday for a matchup at UAB. Kick off is set for 7 p.m. CT and can be streamed on ESPN+
QUICK KICKS
• Ole Miss enters after a 3-0 victory over McNeese this past Sunday.
• The Rebels and Blazers last met on August 25, 2013. Ole Miss won that game 5-2 in Birmingham.
• Kate Smith and Bella Leonard each recorded their first collegiate goal this past Sunday against McNeese.
• Eight different Rebels have scored a goal so far this season: Kayla Keefer (3), Evie Ewing, Kelly Brady, Sarah Granno, Gili Johnson, Bella Leonard, Astrid Nyquist, and Kate Smith each have one.
• In all three wins this season, the Rebels have generated 15 or more shots: Southern (33), Georgia State (15), and McNeese (22).
• Shu Ohba made her season debut against No. 10 Memphis after competing with Team Japan in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
• Keefer earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors for the first time in her career on August 19.
• Keefer became the first freshman since Channing Foster in 2017 to record a hat trick and the 20th Rebel all-time to score three goals in a match.
• Ole Miss generated 33 shots, 16 of them being on goal in their opening win vs. Southern. It was the most shots by a Rebel team in a game since March 27, 2021 against Georgia Southern.
• Kelly Brady, Aubrey Mister, Lauren Montgomery, Shu Ohba, and Hattie Patterson were all named to the 2024 SEC Preseason Watchlist.
• The Rebels return their top two goal scorers from last season in senior Kelly Brady and sophom*ore Gili Johnson, who accounted for 66.7 percent of total scoring and 52.2 percent of total points in 2023.
• Ole Miss returns 90 percent of its total assists, 84.8 percent of total points, and 83.3 percent of total goals from 2023.
• Ohba led the SEC in saves (67) and ranked second in save percentage (.838) during the 2023 regular season.
• The Rebels have added three freshmen from outside the U.S. in Katie Ramsden (England), Astrid Nyquist (Sweden), and Taylor Howarth (England).
LAST TIME OUT
Ole Miss rebounded this past Sunday in its third win of the season over McNeese by a score of 3-0. Three different Rebels found the scoring column including Kate Smith and Bella Leonard who recorded their first collegiate goals. Ole Miss maintained control on the offensive attack for much of the match holding the advantage in shots (22-2) and corners (6-1). Smith pushed the Rebels in front in the 37th driving a deflection into the back of the net. Leonard added to start the second half, delivering a rocket into the upper right corner in the 50th minute, stretching the lead to 2-0. Another goal was added off the foot of Evie Ewing in the 80th minute for her first goal of 2024. Shu Ohba and Taylor Prigge combined for the team's third shutout of the season, making one save each.
SCOUTING THE BLAZERS
UAB (1-2-1) enters after falling to Coastal Carolina 0-1 this past Sunday. The Blazers return 14 players from last season's roster including 2023 AAC All-Rookie selection Abby Graeser. Anika Toth returns for her fifth season in goal for UAB. She recorded 25 saves last season, compiling a 2-3-4 record. Junior midfielder Abbey Burns leads the team with three goals this season. Sophom*ore defender Maia Sirota leads in passing with two assists. UAB is led by Lisa Mann who is in her second at the helm of the program. She previously spent four seasons at West Virginia State compiling a 40-15-4 record.
SPREADING THE LOVE
Eight different Rebels have scored through five games in 2024. Kayla Keefer leads the way with three. Evie Ewing, Kelly Brady, Sarah Granno, Gili Johnson, Bella Leonard, Astrid Nyquist, and Kate Smith each have one. In their three wins this season, the Rebels have generated 15 or more shots in every game. In those three matches they have outshot their opponents (70-16), good for a plus 54 margin. Ole Miss generated 33 shots, 16 of them being on goal in their opening win vs. Southern. It was the most shots by a Rebel team in a game since March 27, 2021 against Georgia Southern.
SEC FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
The Southeastern Conference named Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania native Kayla Keefer as the SEC Soccer Freshman of the Week on August 19. Keefer picked up her first award after just one game on the pitch for the Rebels. She is the first Rebel since 2020 to receive Freshman of the Week honors.
Keefer became thefirst freshman since Channing Foster in 2017 to record a hat trick and the 20th Rebel all-time to score three goals in a match. She led an explosive offensive attack in which Ole Miss generated 33 shots, 16 of them being on goal in their opening win vs. Southern. It was the most shots by a Rebel team in a game since March 27, 2021 against Georgia Southern.
BUILD
Molly Rouse enters year two at the helm of the Ole Miss Soccer program after being hired in May of 2023. She compiled a 7-7-3 record in year one, winning her first regular season game and her first conference game. The Rebels forced seven shutouts in 2023 and allowed one or fewer goals in 12 of the 17 matches. Ole Miss ranked fourth in the SEC in goals allowed per game (1.18) and fourth in goals allowed on the season (20).
PUT THE LEAGUE ON NOTICE
Five Rebels were named to the 2024 SEC Preseason Watchlist Wednesday morning including Kelly Brady, Aubrey Mister, Lauren Montgomery, Shu Ohba, and Hattie Patterson.
Brady returns for her senior season after leading the Rebel attack in 2023 with eight goals scored. She converted all three of her penalty kick opportunities and scored four game winners. Mister was the Rebels' assist leader last season and finished third on the team in points. Montgomery finished third on the team in minutes played and started in every game but one.
Ohba started 14 games in goal for the Rebels last year, putting up the fifth-lowest single season goals against average in program history. Patterson played in all 17 games on the back line as a freshman for the Rebels last year.
RETURNING FIREPOWER
Ole Miss will return its top two goal scorers from a season ago. Senior Kelly Brady led the team in goals scored, points, shots,shots on goal, and penalty kicks. She became the first Rebel to score a hat trick since 2018 and converted all three of the Rebels' penalty kick attempts on the year. Sophom*ore Gili Johnson finished second on the team in total points, goals scored, and shots on goal. She tallied four goals on the season including a brace against Louisiana Tech on Sept. 10. Johnson saw 860 minutes of action in her rookie season, appearing in all 17 games making 10 starts.
BRICK WALL
One of the premier keepers in the SEC returns between the posts in 2024 for the Rebels in Shu Ohba. Ohba enters fresh off competing with Team Japan as an alternate goalkeeper at the 2024 Paris Olympics. In her 15 games last season she led the SEC in saves and saves per match, making 67 saves for an average of 4.47 per game. Ohba ranked second in the conference in save percentage (.838) and posted seven shutouts in her 2023 campaign. She earned SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors twice, becoming the first Rebel since 2012 to do so. Ohba also received All-SEC Second Team honors and was selected to the 2023 United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region Team.
AN IMPRESSIVE FRESHMAN CLASS
The program welcomes 12 freshmen to the roster for the 2024 season. Kayla Keefer earned three varsity letters at Central Columbia and was named the 2023 Gatorade Player of the Year in Pennsylvania. The trio of Astrid Nyquist, Katie Ramsden and
Taylor Howarth all hail from international countries. Tate Blincoe arrives in Oxford after lettering in soccer, football and track in high school.
Tatum Hofstetter and Sofia Barrie both come to Ole Miss from the state of Arizona and Grace Smith joins the Rebels from Cypress, Texas. Maryann Beach scored 44 goals and dished out 28 assists in her high school career while Ally Thomas looks to add length to the Rebel back line. Rounding out the newcomers is Georgia Skelton who led Atlee to a 2021 Region Championship and Adora Nwosu who was a dual-sport athlete at Aaron Academy.
THROUGH THE PORTAL
Five players joined the Rebels during the offseason in EK Uithoven, Bella Leonard, Erin Martin, Taylor Prigge, and Sarah Granno. Uithoven returns to the Magnolia state after three seasons in Tucson at Arizona. Sophom*ore Bella Leornard arrives in Oxford after one year at Notre Dame.
Senior Erin Martin appeared in 55 games at Georgetown, making 15 starts. She earned BIG EAST All-Freshman honors her rookie season and earned BIG EAST All-Academic accolades her sophom*ore campaign. Sophom*ore Taylor Prigge looks to bolster the goalkeeper room coming over from Utah.
Sophom*ore Sarah Granno arrives in Oxford after one season at Memphis. The Roseville, California native appeared in 15 matches and scored one goal for the Tigers.
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