LSU soccer took a 1-0 victory over Ole Miss in Baton Rouge on Sunday in its second SEC match of the season.
After a tough loss against No. 3 Arkansas on Thursday, the Tigers were set to play Ole Miss on a hot Sunday afternoon.
In the first half, the Tigers ensured the Rebels didn’t get too many chances to get shots off, with players such as forward Sage Glover staying on top of the ball and out of reach of the Rebels.
LSU’s back four were not giving its opponent many opportunities inside of the 18-yard box, with the first shot from Ole Miss not arriving until the 27th minute.
Meanwhile, LSU’s offense got the jump start in the first half, outshooting Ole Miss 10-3.
The Tigers’ most promising shots came from runs up the midfield from players like midfielder Danielle Shannon and midfielder Ida Hermannsdottir. Graduate student and forward Mollie Baker took the most shots of the first half, with one on goal target and four total.
Forward Kelly Brady was a key player for the Rebels in the match. She was quick on her feet and able to help keep the ball moving towards the goal. Rebel goalkeeper Shu Ohba, who played for Japan this summer Olympics, was able to successfully block the attempts of the Tigers, keeping the competition tight.
For LSU, forward Kelsey Major earned her first start of the season in the place of top scorer Ava Galligan, who entered the pitch later in the game.
Moments before the halftime whistle, LSU midfielder Ava Amsden was illegally tripped right outside of the 18. The free kick was taken by Andrea Iljkic, who drove it into the back of the net, giving LSU a 1-0 edge.
Shortly into the second half, video assistant referee was used to determine a possible handball against Ole Miss inside of the 18-yard box. Eventually, the call was dismissed, but it was a moment that might have felt like deja vu for the LSU team, who lost 1-0 to Ole Miss on a handball penalty kick at their last meeting.
As expected, the Rebels pressed hard in the second half, but this didn’t stop the Tigers from being able to get the job done.
Defenders Jazmin Ferguson and Jocelyn Ollivierre were put to the test in the back half of the game, and Hermannsdottir asserted her dominance, putting up four shots in the last 45 minutes of the game.
With one minute to go on the clock, VAR was used again to assess a slide tackle executed by LSU forward Angeline Thoreson, sending a wave of nerves through the stadium. No penalty was given, closing the door on Ole Miss’ last chance to even the score.
The Tigers totaled 22 shots and 10 shots on goal, and goalkeeper Audi Scheving only had to make one save all night.
The victory puts LSU back at No. 7 in the SEC standings, and a few more players now find themselves topping the individual stat categories. Galligan, Baker and Hermannsdottir are all within the top 10 players with the most shots in the SEC this season.
The Tigers are staying at home this week, as they face No. 9 Oklahoma on Thursday, with both teams at a 1-1 conference record.
With high hopes, head coach Sian Hudson said she’s ready to bring a strong and tactical performance.
After getting even with Ole Miss, LSU will want to cling on to this momentum and propel themselves up the ranks with a win over the Sooners.
