Ole Miss Soccer will host rival Mississippi State in its first conference matchup of the season on Sept. 11. Coming in with a new coaching staff and an overhauled roster, the Rebels will look to end a devastating two-season spell without an SEC victory.
Senior forward Evie Ewing is the only Rebel still remaining from that last conference win, surviving two seasons of tumult, a coaching change and the ever-present threat of the transfer portal reshaping the roster.
Ole Miss enters SEC play with a 7-1 record and appears to be one of the strongest Rebel soccer teams in recent memory.
Head coach Todd Shulenberger arrived at Ole Miss with high expectations after 11 seasons at Washington State, where he became the coach with the most wins in program history, boasting a 113-67-34 record. Through his first eight games at the helm, Shulenberger and the Rebels have already begun to meet those expectations.
In a Sept. 1 press conference, Shulenberger expressed his belief in his players and described how he sees them growing as the season develops.
“We are who we are right now, and you know we’re going to be the team that we want to be,” Shulenberger said. “Will we adapt defensively? Yeah. Offensively, this is who we’re going to be, and we’re going to keep going.”
Through seven games, the Lady Rebels have outshot their opponents 105-53 and held a 40-17 advantage in shots on goal. If they want to win SEC games, they are going to have to convert on more shots.
“We’re clearly aware of that situation. We’re working on it,” Shulenberger said in a press conference on Sept. 8.
Starting goalkeeper Taylor Prigge has cemented her role in net with help from her defensive line, allowing four goals through eight games. The Rebels have shut out their opponents in six of those contests.
The Rebels have one of their best opportunities to turn the tide of the program on SEC opening day against Mississippi State. With home-field advantage on their side, the Rebels have a chance to start SEC play with a win and put an end to over a thousand days of waiting.
