Ole Miss Soccer opened conference play against Auburn on Friday, Sept. 12. The match ended in a 1-1 draw.
Seniors Sidney O’Billovich, Taylor Prigge, Kate Smith, Briana Rodriguez and Lauren Montgomery were all honored pregame for Senior Night.
The Tigers entered the game 4-2-1 in nonconference play, with 16 goals scored and only three allowed on the season. Ole Miss began SEC play with a 4-1 record, with seven goals scored and four allowed.
First half
The Lady Rebels applied pressure in the first two minutes and managed to get the ball in Auburn’s box. The Lady Rebels managed to get a shot off, but it went wide, granting Auburn the game’s first goal kick.
Auburn responded with a shot of their own. Though the Lady Rebels defended it, the Tigers were rewarded with a corner kick. They kicked a short pass into play, then passed the ball back in the box, but Ole Miss knocked the ball out once again.
On their third corner kick, Ole Miss was able to clear the ball. Seconds later, Auburn retaliated with a shot that was easily handled by O’Billovich.
However, the Auburn offensive attack was not yet finished. After a nifty pass from Dylan Driver led to an easy shot by Gracie Ivey at the top of the box, the Tigers went ahead 1-0. This goal ended Ole Miss’ streak of three consecutive shutouts.
Auburn threatened a few minutes after the goal, but good defense from the home team kept the Tigers at bay. A few minutes later, a Tiger cross to the far post connected with Erin Flurey, who headed the ball toward a wide open net. O’Billovich then made a huge save, and the Lady Rebels were able to clear.
The visitors continued to pester Ole Miss with shots, but all were blocked or saved. In the 22nd minute, the Lady Rebels made substitutions and applied better pressure, but the tying goal still evaded them. Still, the Lady Rebels’ pressure nearly caused the Auburn goalie to mishandle the ball in her own box.
Smith finally found the equalizer on a ball that slowly dribbled into the goal in the 17th minute. Sophomore Katie Ramsden had the assist.
O’Billovich made another fantastic diving save to set up a Smith counterattack. Auburn fouled her to avoid disaster.
A few bad touches in the Auburn box prevented Ole Miss from scoring the go-ahead goal, and a late attack from the Tigers nearly won Auburn the lead, but the defense held firm. The game was knotted up at 1 heading into the half.
The Tigers possessed the ball for 63% of the first half. The Lady Rebels tallied just two shots to Auburn’s 12.
Second half
The first six minutes came and went quietly. The first action came when Auburn got a corner kick, which Ole Miss defended well. The Tigers fouled Ole Miss on the counterattack, and the Lady Rebels and they established pressure in the Auburn half.
Overly aggressive play cost Auburn a yellow card with 36 minutes to go in the game.
Ole Miss’ best chance early in the half went well above the goal, then Auburn hit a ball off the post for a Rebel goal kick.
Flurey took the ball into the Ole Miss box and took a shot, but O’Billovich made another save. Ole Miss continued to absorb pressure and deflected a ball away from the goal for a Tiger corner.
The referee handed Ole Miss a yellow card for a foul a few yards from the box. Auburn had a great free kick opportunity, but O’Billovich pushed the shot away for a corner. The Tigers put an excellent ball into the box that found a head for a shot on goal, but O’Billovich was there to make another clutch save.
O’Billovich’s stellar night continued with another huge save after Auburn dribbled the ball close to the six-yard box.
Consistent Tiger pressure put the Rebels on their heels and forced another great free kick opportunity for Auburn. This time, the ball soared well above the goal for an Ole Miss goal kick.
Ole Miss kept the ball in Auburn’s half for several minutes. They were unable to get into the box with 10 minutes to go.
A long free kick nearly found its way into the goal to give Auburn the lead, but O’Billovich kept the game tied. The Tigers were relentless in their efforts to get the ball in the box, despite Ole Miss’ efforts to keep them at midfield.
The Rebels had block after block to keep the score at 1-1 throughout the game.
Auburn nearly put the ball in the back of the net after a pass went across the middle of the box, but the shot spun wide.
Ole Miss absorbed Auburn’s attack and resumed their own offensive efforts with five minutes to go.
Auburn’s efforts for a game winner were unsuccessful, and the game ended in a hard fought 1-1 draw.
“Competing in this conference and being able to come away with a point (to open) up the season on a positive note (is) something that we’re really excited about,” head coach Molly Rouse said in a postgame interview with The Daily Mississippian.
Ole Miss Soccer is back in action in Columbia, S.C., on Thursday Sept. 18 at 6 p.m. against the Gamecocks. SEC Network+ will broadcast the game.
