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Souza Scores Game Winner, Rebels Top Texas Tech
LUBBOCK, Texas – Ole
Miss’ defense kept the team in the game Friday night at Texas Tech and
Rafaelle Souza scored her third goal in just two games as the Rebels
beat the Red Raiders 1-0 in Lubbock.
With the win, Ole Miss improved to 2-0 while Texas Tech fell 2-1. The Red Raiders forwards tested the Rebels defense for much of the game but Ole Miss was up for the challenge.
The
Rebels broke through in the 84th minute Erin Emerson took her space and
played Souza into the box. Souza tracked down the ball at the
corner of the six and bent it in for her third goal of the year. “This
was a great early test for our team,” head coach Matt Mott said.
“We really hung in and we really worked hard in the second half.
It was a really great goal for Rafa and she’s able to create goals out
of nothing. To be able to come in and keep a clean sheet on the
road against a team like Texas Tech is great.” In
the seventh minute, Texas Tech players Taylor Lytle and Tiffni Smith
used a give-and-go to get a shot off but goalkeeper Alley Ronaldi made
the close-range save. Ronaldi stopped a Texas Tech scoring
opportunity in the 15th minute as she beat a Red Raider player in a
footrace to win possession of a loose ball in the box.
Ole Miss’
Rafaelle Souza had an early long-range look in the first minute and
also had an attempt in the 24th minute. Dylan Jordan and Emily
Reid used good combination play to get the ball to Souza in the 24th
minute but her shot from just outside the box was blocked by a Texas
Tech defender. Souza
also had another look in the 35th minute. After she was fouled,
she sent a left-footed curling shot from the free kick towards the
goal, but her attempt went just high. At
the half, Texas Tech led Ole Miss in shots with the Red Raiders
recording 13 while the Rebels recorded five. Souza led Ole Miss
with four shots while Ronaldi had one save in the first half. Ronaldi
again came up big in the 53rd minute as Texas Tech’s Smith again broke
through the Ole Miss backline but Ronaldi came off her line to make the
save before Smith could get a foot on the ball. Emily
Reid had a dangerous chance in the 54th minute as she found herself
unmarked 25 yards out. Her shot had the keeper beat but just
missed the target.
Ole Miss finished the game with 10 shots, six from Souza, while Texas Tech recorded 17 shots.
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