Soccer earns Texas’ first win in the Southeastern Conference

Thursday, September 26

Oxford, Miss

6 PM

University of Texas

8-1-2, 1-1-1

Ole Miss

5-7-0, 0-3-0

Texas

Ole Miss

Photo by: Bruce Newman

Soccer earns Texas’ first win in the Southeastern Conference

09.26.2024 | Soccer

Box Score

Ashlyn Miller’s goal in the 64th minute propels Longhorns to historic moment

By: Chris Allen Brown

OXFORD, Miss. – It was only a matter of when, not if The University of Texas women's soccer program was going to find its footing in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). And that when became Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, when the Longhorns beat Ole Miss, 1-0, in the Magnolia State for the first SEC win by a UT athletic program since joining the league nearly three months ago.

Much like how she had a foot in Texas' first-ever SEC match seven days ago with a pair of assists against Alabama, Lexi Missimo was, again, the catalyst that helped produce the game-winning goal by Ashlyn Miller.

As the match clock ticked from 63:59 to 64:00, Missimo, with the soccer ball at her feet, began to outrun several Rebel defenders from 45 yards out. Noticing how more defenders began to cut off her path towards the goal, the senior midfielder passed the ball to Holly Ward, who was standing just outside the attacking 6-yard box.

Ward noticed Miller running through the back line of the Ole Miss defense and sent a pass towards her feet. As the ball was rolling towards her, Miller started to wind up for a shot attempt and when the senior made contact with the ball, she sent it flying past Rebel goalkeeper Shu Ohba, who made eight saves on the Longhorns' nine shot on goal.

The Texas offense continued to apply pressure throughout the second half, looking for additional insurance goals but were unable to find one despite 13 second half shot attempts which were 10 more than Ole Miss had during the same timeframe.

FROM HEAD COACH ANGELA KELLY

"I thought, collectively, it was some of the best soccer that we've played all season. We had 22 shots with nine on goal, so that's just a little shy of 50 percent. We created a lot of pointblank opportunities, too, and in this league, we know it's going to be a battle, so we must show up ready to battle every single night. I'm just really proud of this squad and The University of Texas with this being the first SEC win."

FROM SENIOR MIDFIELDER ASHLYN MILLER

"Honestly, (to score the game-winning goal in the first SEC win for The University of Texas), it just feels amazing to set records and things like that. But it's even more awesome to be able to do it with my teammates. Tonight, just feels great."

MATCH NOTES

Thursday night's clean sheet was the third for Texas senior goalkeeper Mia Justus against a women's soccer program from the SEC.
- Justus, while a member of the Florida State program, turned in clean sheets against Alabama (Aug. 22, 2021) and Florida (Sept. 4, 2022) prior to keeping Ole Miss out of the scoring column on Thursday.
Texas' 22 shot attempts throughout the match's 90 minutes were the most by the Longhorns in a SEC match in program history.
- By the end of the night's 90-minute action, the Longhorns out shot the Rebels 22 to 6 with Ole Miss having just one shot on goal compared to Texas' nine.
With her assist on Ashlyn Miller's second-half goal, Lexi Missimo now has 57 career assists, which moves the Southlake native past Notre Dame's Anne Makinen (1997-00) on the Division I career assist list.
- Missimo will enter Texas' next match on Sunday night tied with four former Division I student-athletes (Furman's Kayne Brownlee, 1998-01; Notre Dame's Shannon Boxx, 1995-98; North Carolina's Debbie Keller, 1993-96; Santa Clara's Jennifer Lalor, 1992-94, 96) for 14th on the list.
  - Keller played two seasons (1993-94) with Missimo's current head coach, Angela Kelly, in Chapel Hill.
By being credited with an assist on Ashlyn Miller's goal, Holly Ward became the 11th different Longhorn women's soccer student-athlete to be credited with at least one assist this season.

UP NEXT

After back-to-back matches in Mississippi, Texas (8-1-2, 1-1-1) will return to the Forty Acres to play Texas A&M (7-4-0, 2-1-0) at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 29.
- The contest, presented by Cotton Holdings, will be the second in the Lone Star Showdown following the universities' volleyball programs playing in College Station on Friday, Sept. 27.

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