Despite glimpses of danger from the Ole Miss Rebels in the first half, Texas A&M soccer was able to make its dominance pay off after a quick flurry of goals in the latter half of the game.
Senior Addie McCain kicked off scoring in the 50th minute, then used a deft chip shot to extend the Aggies’ lead just seven minutes later. Freshman Laney Carrol added a debut goal soon after in the 60th minute, effectively putting the game out of reach.
McCain said she didn’t realize her second goal was successful at first.
“I thought the keeper punched it over the bar but then Taylor Pounds was yelling and running at me, and I was like, ‘Uh oh, something happened,’” McCain told 12thman.com.
The Aggies were the dominant force throughout the 90 minutes, boasting a 17-9 advantage in shots. The Rebels’ best chances came from set-pieces in the first half. Ole Miss also hit the post on either side of halftime, signaling their threat going forward.
A&M’s clinical finishing would be the deciding factor in the second half. This, coupled with a resolute defensive performance and six stops from goalkeeper Shantel Hutton, prevented the Rebels from mounting a comeback effort.
A&M coach G Guerrieri said he was proud of the way his team closed out the game.
“After going into halftime 0-0, [they] really came out in the first 15 minutes of the second half really, really sharp, got some great goals,” Guerrieri told 12thman.com.
With this win, the Aggies’ all-time record in season openers improves to 23-5, while the all-time record against Ole Miss improves to 7-2-2.
The Aggies’ next challenge will be to host the Auburn Tigers at Ellis Field on Sunday, Sept. 27. Kick-off is at 3 p.m.