Vols Fall to Opportunistic Rebels

Friday, October 23

Knoxville, TN

7:00 PM

University of Tennessee

7-4-5, 3-4-2SEC

Ole Miss

12-3-2, 6-3SEC

Ole Miss

Tennessee

October 23, 2015 | Soccer

Box Score

Oct. 23, 2015

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. --The University of Tennessee women’s soccer team fell to No. 13 Ole Miss, 2-0, on Friday night in front of a crowd of 1,442 at Regal Soccer Stadium.

The Rebels (12-3-2, 6-3 SEC) got goals from Jessica Hiskey and freshman standout CeCe Kizer to pull out their fourth straight win.

Despite the loss, the Volunteers (7-4-5, 3-4-2 SEC) were able to control possession for most of the game and more than doubled the Rebels’ in shots, 14-6. Nine different players recorded a shot for Tennessee, including two each for Rylie O'Keefe, Susan Ferguson, Emily Morrow, Anna Bialczak and Anna McClung.

The Vols came out with a lot of energy and had one of their best starts this season, keeping the Rebels’ high-powered offense in check. Ole Miss didn’t record its first shot until the 33rd minute thanks to a stout performance by the Tennessee back four.

”I thought our first 20 to 25 minutes was very good … and then I thought we lost a little bit of composure, lost a little bit of an edge and that led to a corner kick and we didn’t attack the ball,” head coach Brian Pensky said.

Unfortunately, the Rebels were able to break through with a goal off a corner kick in the 34th minute to break the deadlock. Hiskey rose above everyone in the middle of the box and headed one home past Julie Eckel for a 1-0 lead.

It looked like the Big Orange might draw even with a couple of shots early in the second half from McClung and O’Keefe, but Ole Miss goalkeeper Marnie Merritt was equal to the task. She finished the game with five saves as the Rebels posted their third consecutive shutout.

Kizer gave the Rebels some breathing room in the 77th minute, beating Eckel from about 20 yards out with a perfect strike under the cross bar.

Tennessee’s best chance to get on the board came in the 84th minute when Amy Neal was able to get on the end of a cross in the box, but Merritt was there again for Ole Miss to make a great save.

With the loss, UT dropped back-to-back games for the first time this season and fell to 0-3-1 against ranked teams.

The Vols will have a chance to end their two-game skid on Sunday when they welcome Kentucky to Regal Stadium for Senior Night. Tennessee will honor its three seniors, Eckel, Ferguson and Gabby Santorio before the game, which will begin at 5 p.m., and can be seen live on the SEC Network.