The Memphis women’s soccer team is on fire, earning wins against Arkansas State and Ole Miss to improve to 8-1, and they have eight shutout victories this year.
The Tigers beat the Arkansas State Red Wolves 3-0 last Thursday with goals from sophomore midfielder Samantha Murphy, junior midfielder Serena Dolan and senior forward Elizabeth Woerner.
The first two goals from Murphy and Dolan came within the first 26 minutes of the match, allowing for some cushion throughout the match, but the Tigers continued pushing towards the net. Memphis outshot Arkansas State about five times more at 19-4.
Woerner added her late goal in the 88th minute with a cross by Marie Levasseur, sealing the match with a comfortable win overall.
Memphis then traveled just over 70 miles to play against Ole Miss last Sunday. They faced the Rebels, a team that led the nation with 26 total goals and has the nation’s leading scorer with nine goals so far, senior forward Cece Kizer.
Memphis started strong gaining possession and pressured well, but it only took three minutes and six seconds for Memphis to net the opening goal. Stasia Mallin sent a cross in the 18-yard box to Marie Levasseur, who tapped it over the keeper to give Memphis the lead.
“It gave us a boost, and a boost that we needed,” head coach Brooks Monaghan said about the opening goal. “The momentum carried, and it was a great game.”
Though Memphis kept Ole Miss on their heels in the first half, the Rebels started the second half in control and had two shots that worried Memphis a bit. Although Memphis got some shots, Ole Miss senior goalkeeper Marnie Merritt made diving and reaching saves to keep the Rebels in the game.
It all changed with Dolan’s strike from just inside the box that fired past Merritt into the mid-right of the net.
“When I took the first touch to set it up and right before I struck it, I just kind of knew that it was going in ... or hoped so,” Dolan said about her goal.
Sophmore forward Clarissa Larisey didn’t get her eighth goal of the season as the team’s leader in goals, but she did get six shots during the match and beat plenty of Ole Miss defenders. She was even shoved to the ground when she tried to get back up after she slide tackled an Ole Miss defender during the game. “Happy” wasn’t a word she used to describe the small scuffle.
“I was really pissed first of all ... But honestly, I laughed a little because I like getting in their head,” Larisey said. “She was mad, and I knew she was mad because she knows I was faster and getting around her, so it was kind of nice.”
Any win against Ole Miss is excellent, but Monaghan is excited to be back in Memphis on Thursday as his team starts American Athletic Conference play against Cincinnati.
“We’re happy to be back, but I tell you what, we got our hands full with Cincinnati,” Monaghan said. “The intensity we played with tonight, they play with every night, so we’ve got to bring the same amount of intensity and soccer ability with it.”
The team will be back in Memphis to play Cincinnati on Thursday at 7 p.m at Mike Rose Soccer Complex.
Serena Dolan drives pass a defender looking for a teammate. The women’s soccer team beat Ole Miss 2-0 to extend their winning streak and improve their rank to No. 12 in the nation.
Marie Levasseur stands on the field awaiting for the next play. The women's soccer team beat Ole Miss over the weekend.
