Ole Miss Soccer is ready to get back to the pitch as the regular season gets started on August 21 when the Rebels take on Florida Gulf Coast in Ft. Myers, Florida. The Rebels head into the 2015 season with a fast, veteran, offense that looks to capitalize on every scoring opportunity.
“We have a lot of team speed in most areas,” said Ole Miss Head Coach Matthew Mott. “Our speed stood out to me the most during preseason training.”
The quick offense returns two of the team’s top scorers from the 2014-15 season in senior Olivia Harrison and junior Addie Forbus. Harrison and Forbus combined for 14 goals, scoring seven apiece.
“As a team we just want to work on finishing the opportunities, because we are going to be creating a lot of goal-scoring opportunities,” said Harrison.
Forbus echoed her teammate, emphasizing the importance of finishing in the box and not letting scoring opportunities go astray.
“One of our focuses this season is finishing goals,” noted Forbus. “During preseason practice we have been creating chances and getting opportunities to score. Now we can focus on finishing those chances. Something we have really been working on is creating different ways of finishing and putting the ball in the back of the net.”
Although Forbus and Harrison reached new heights during last year’s season, the two forwards will be looking for more chances to strike this year. The dynamic duo is striving for the best and working to get better with the rest of the team.
The experience of the offensive attack certainly stands out. The sheer number of veteran players is outstanding. Overall, the Rebels return 10 starters from last year’s team. However, incorporating the new players into the team can only add to what will be a season of high expectations for Ole Miss.
“We have returners on the wings with a lot of speed and attack with Bethany Bunker, Georgia Russell, and Sara Coleman,” said Forbus. “They can run for days and are good at serving the ball into the attack. Gretchen Harknett is up top and she is very crafty. We also have CeCe Kizer coming in and she is definitely going to give us a spark on offense.”
As a freshmen forward, Kizer will be able to provide more depth and speed for the Rebels upfront and will be able to learn from the veteran starters in that position.
The Rebels also return senior Jennifer Miller. Miller is a three-year starter and will anchor the midfield for a fourth season alongside Harknett, Courtney Carroll, Liza Harbin and Melissa Capocaccia. The combination of these players gives the team great depth, as well as experience and knowledge of the game.
“Our midfield is doing great. Our defense is solid. Now it is all about finishing,” explained Harrison.
Coach Mott has coached the Rebels to 52 wins over the previous five seasons and with the determination of this year’s team, the plan is set for another successful year of Ole Miss Soccer. After beginning the season in the Sunshine State, Ole Miss returns to Oxford on Sunday, Aug. 23, for the team’s home opener. The Rebels host Boise State at 12 p.m. at the Ole Miss Soccer Stadium.
Courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics
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