The growing pains hit differently in the SEC. Ole Miss felt that again Friday night in Tuscaloosa, where a competitive start turned into a 2-0 loss to No. 5 Alabama and another night of coming up just short of the breakthrough it keeps chasing.
Alabama didn’t waste time. Ashley Roni scored in the ninth minute, finishing a sharp sequence that put the Crimson Tide in control early.
Ole Miss actually responded well to the punch. Ava Ghoreishi forced a save less than five minutes later, and Katie Ramsden pushed another attempt on target in the 25th minute.
The Rebels weren’t backing down. They were creating chances and matching Alabama’s energy.
But the second goal changed the tone.
Kennedy Garcia doubled Alabama’s lead in the 26th-minute, and suddenly Ole Miss was chasing a match that had already tilted toward the home side.
Even then, the Rebels kept firing. They matched Alabama with nine shots in the first half, and Jenna Studer nearly cut the deficit right before the break. Madi Munguia’s third save kept it 2-0.
The second half was more about holding on.
Alabama applied pressure throughout, but Anna Claire Jacobi kept the score from getting out of hand. She made five saves after halftime and eight total, giving Ole Miss every chance to stay within reach.
The problem is that reach never turned into results. Alabama finished with 26 shots and 10 attempts on goal. Ole Miss managed 12 shots and put three on frame.
Sarah Granno and Keira Mitchell led the Rebels with two attempts each, while Ghoreishi, Ramsden and Studer accounted for the shots on target.
It’s another night where Ole Miss played hard, created moments and stayed competitive, but walked away with nothing to show for it.
Five straight SEC losses tell one story. The performances tell another.
The Rebels aren’t far off, but close hasn’t been enough to change the standings.
They stay on the road next week, heading to Georgia for a Friday night match in Athens.
At some point, something has to break their way. They’ve played with enough effort to earn it.
