The Ole Miss Soccer team is off to a solid 5-1 start through its first six games. The Rebels returned home following a successful road trip, when they were faced with their first true challenge against No. 24 Memphis — their only loss of the season thus far. New head coach Todd Shulenberger led the Rebels to four consecutive victories to start the season, which stands in contrast to the Rebels’ woes of recent years.
Shulenberger arrived in Oxford with the task of leading the Rebels in the right direction. Since the team has failed to record an SEC win since 2023, the new head coach had his work cut out for him.
The Rebels have seen success in all facets of their game. They conceded only one goal in their first four games, and both the attacking and defensive units have banded together despite numerous changes to the roster.
Since the team entered the season with 17 new players, 14 of whom came from the transfer portal, there were questions regarding just how quickly the Rebels could mesh. Of course, it helped that eight players came from Washington State with Shulenberger.
In a press conference on Aug. 18, Shulenberger said that his players believing in one another, along with their collective focus on the future, were all that the team needed to begin this new era.
“Winning helps. Believing in each other, believing in the staff, believing in teammates — we did all last year (at Washington State),” Shulenberger said.
Since eight players followed Shulenberger to Ole Miss, there was already familiarity in the ranks. The coaches, too, got an early idea of the kinds of players with whom they were working.
After starting on the right foot at home against Murray State, the Rebels headed off for an early three-game road trip, beginning in Lafayette, La., to face the Ragin’ Cajuns. Isabella Pontieri and Paxton Bock scored less than a minute apart early in the first half, and the Rebels held on despite conceding their only goal of the road stint in the second half.
The Rebels then shifted their focus north, heading to Charleston, S.C., for a battle with the College of Charleston. Shulenberger’s side put the pressure on early, though they were unable to find the net despite 10 shots on goal in the first half.
Sophomore Washington State transfer Ava Ghoreishi put Ole Miss ahead in minute 54, and a solid defensive showing helped produce the second clean straight for returning goalkeeper Taylor Prigge in just three games.
The Rebels finished the trip on a high note with a 2-goal victory at UAB. Shulenberger’s team looks to be in top gear just two weeks into the season.
For an Ole Miss team that had everything go wrong last year, four consecutive victories to begin the season was exactly what Shulenberger wanted to see from his new side. Then came the first ranked match of the year against No. 24 Memphis, which the Rebels ultimately lost
Less than 10 minutes into the match, Memphis midfielder Ai Kitagawa caught Prigge off her line and placed a 40-yard chip into the back of the net. Ninety seconds later, the Tigers struck again, with Evelyn Mackay scoring a stunner from nearly as far as her teammate had done seconds prior.
The Rebels brought one back thanks to a well-weighted pass over the top from Audrey Shackelford, and Teaghan Irvin converted for her first collegiate goal.
The brilliant attacking periods that shined in the first half transitioned to a physical battle expected of a rivalry game of this magnitude.
In the last minutes of the match, Memphis received two yellow cards in rapid succession and narrowly avoided giving the Rebels a late penalty kick after an extensive video review.
Following the game, Shulenberger spoke with The Daily Mississippian about what he saw from his team in their first ranked challenge of the year. He also weighed in on the non-penalty call.
“The goals were weak tonight, in my opinion. We didn’t put pressure on the ball, (and) we let the ball drop on a corner kick,” Shulenberger said. “Should’ve, could’ve, would’ve — I thought it was a penalty kick.”
On a positive note, the Rebel attack flowed well and, while they only scored once, they generated multiple chances to bring the game to a more climactic finish. However, a 76th-minute corner kick met the head of Tiger freshman defender Abby Forsgren, ending the Rebels push for an equalizing goal and setting the final score at 3-1.
The Rebels got back to their winning ways on Sunday, Aug. 30, against Louisiana-Monroe, scoring early thanks to Washington State transfer Becca Skinner. Irvin doubled the lead with her second goal in as many games.
With the past few seasons still looming in the minds of Rebel fans, the impressive beginnings of the Shulenberger era leave much to be excited for.
