No. 19 Gamecocks Visit Ole Miss for First Time in Four Years

OXFORD, Miss. – The 19th ranked South Carolina women’s soccer team will make its first trip to Ole Miss since 2017, then when Gamecocks take on the Rebels Thursday, October 7 at 7 p.m. ET. It will also be a homecoming for Gamecock assistant coach Marnie Merritt who graduated from Ole Miss in 2017.
 
Gameday Information
When: October 7 | 7 p.m. ET
Where: Oxford, Miss.
Venue: Ole Miss Soccer Stadium (1,500)
Live Stats: Ole Miss Live Stats
Live Video: SEC Network+; Graham Doty (pxp) and Ian Banner (analyst)
Series History: South Carolina leads 12-5-3
Last Meeting: South Carolina 2, Ole Miss 0 | October 24, 2019 | Columbia, S.C.
 
#19 South Carolina Gamecocks 9-2, 4-0 SEC
Last Game: W, 3-2 vs. #13 Auburn (Oct. 1)
Coach: Shelley Smith | 21st Season
Goals Leader: Three tied | 4
Assists Leader:  Ryan Gareis and Lauren Chang | 7
Points Leader: Three tied | 9
Shots Leader: Ryan Gareis and Corinna Zullo | 17
Saves Leader: Heather Hinz | 27
 
RV Ole Miss Rebels 8-2-2, 3-1 SEC
Last Game: W, 1-0 at Florida (Oct. 3)
Coach: Matt Mott | 12th Season
Goals Leader: Molly Martin | 7
Assists Leader: Haleigh Stackpole | 12
Points Leader: Haleigh Stackpole | 18
Shots Leader: Channing Foster | 49
Saves Leader: Ashley Orkus | 42
 
QUICK NOTES: vs Ole Miss

• South Carolina leads the all-time series 12-5-3. 
  • 9 of the 12 wins have come via shutouts.
• Head coach Shelley Smith is 12-4-3 all-time against Ole Miss.
• The Gamecocks have won three in-a-row dating back to 2016, all three wins came via shutout.
• Since 2006, South Carolina is 9-2-2 against the Rebels.
• South Carolina is 5-3-2 all-time in Oxford against the Rebels. The last meeting was in 2017.
• When ranked, the Gamecocks are 5-1-1 against Ole Miss.

 
2021 Season Notables

• With an appearance against Ole Miss, Lauren Chang will become the Gamecock’s all-time leader in matches played. Entering Thursday’s match, she is tied with Kayla Grimsley (2008-11) and Brittiny Rhoades (2007-10) with 95 appearances.
• Ryan Gareis and Lauren Chang rank 12th in the nation with seven assists on the season.
• The Gamecocks leads the SEC in fewest fouls per game and rank 35th nationally.
• Since 2016, the Gamecocks are 43-5-5 in SEC play.
• The Gamecocks have used a deep bench this season. At least 20 players earned minutes in the first seven matches of the season. The have used at least 20 players in eight of the 11 games this season. In each of the other three matches they have used 19 players.
• Earlier this season against Charlotte, Luciana Zullo scored her first goal of the season 46 seconds into the match. That’s tied for the second fastest goal in program history.
• South Carolina was picked by the league’s coaches to finish third in the 2021 SEC regular season. The Gamecocks have not finished a season lower than third in the SEC since 2015.
• Five Gamecocks were named to the SEC Soccer Preseason Watch List – Catherine Barry, Lauren Chang, Samantha Chang, Ryan Gareis, and Jyllissa Harris.
• Head coach Shelley Smith returns 21 of last season’s 26 letterwinners, including the team’s top three goal scorers and four fifth-year seniors who chose to return for their bonus year of eligibility.
• South Carolina added six freshmen to the collection of returning letterwinners.

 
…A Closer Look
All-Time Records
• South Carolina has an all-time record of 329-181-53.
• The Gamecocks are 132-99-33 in SEC play.
• South Carolina is 105-89-27 all-time on the road.
• The Gamecocks are 43-15-4 all-time on Thursday’s.
• South Carolina is 9-7-4 in the state of Mississippi.
 
Spooky Season Records
• South Carolina is 2-4 on October 7, with their last match coming in 2012 in a 1-0 victory over Georgia in Columbia. The Gamecocks have never played on the road on this day.
• The Gamecocks are 108-73-29 in the month of October.
• They are 20-5-3 on Thursday’s in October.
• South Carolina is 47-14-12 when ranked in October.
 
Ranking Records
• The last time the Gamecocks were ranked 19th by the USC poll was Sept. 4, 2018. That week they went 2-0, defeating Coastal Carolina 3-0 and Wake Forest 2-0.
• South Carolina is 5-1-1 all-time when ranked 19th, including a 3-1 mark in SEC play.
• The Gamecocks are 160-53-22 when nationally ranked.
• They’re 48-25-12 when nationally ranked playing on the road.
• South Carolina is 146-48-16 when ranked in the top-20.
• The Gamecocks are 146-38-20 when ranked higher than their opponent.
• The Gamecocks are 129-23-15 when they are ranked and playing an unranked opponent.
 
All-Time Results vs. Ole Miss
 

 
Overall: 12-5-3
Conf: 12-5-3
Home: 7-2-1
Away: 5-3-2
Neutral: 0-0
 
For women’s soccer updates, continue to check back with GamecocksOnline.com or follow the team’s social media accounts on Twitter @GamecockWSoccer, Facebook /GamecockWSoccer, and Instagram @GamecockWSoccer.