Soccer falls to Ole Miss; Rebels pull away late

Dylan Hurst The Troy Women’s soccer team fell 5-2 in its meeting with SEC powerhouse Ole Miss after the Rebels scored three unanswered goals to put the Trojans away. The game was played at neutral turf Thursday at The Cage in Mobile. The Trojans got on the board first in the 15th minute as senior Natalie Melillo completed a pass to freshman Kendra Cashion, who scored for her first career goal.It was also Troy’s first goal against the Rebels in three games played against them. In the 21st minute, the Rebels’ Cece Kizer scored her sixth goal in five games. During a free kick, the Rebels’ Grace Johnson sent a long kick towards the goal. Kizer caught and inched past Troy keeper Acelya Aydogmus for another score. With 2:30 until halftime, the Rebels’ Channing Foster successfully made a penalty kick to score her second season goal and take the lead. This was also Troy’s second lost penalty kick this season. Only three minutes into the second half, the Rebels’ Mary Kate Smith sent a cross pass from the right wing Madisyn Pezzino passed across to Ole Miss’s Haleigh Stackpole, who scored and gave Ole Miss a 3-1 lead. The Trojans scored in the 55th minute and erased the two-goal deficit after sophomore Ally Bayer’s scored on a pass for her third career goal. In the 75th minute, the Rebels took control after Kizer scored for her second goal in the game. In the 90th minute, the Rebels’ Marisa Kutchma scored again to make the game 5-2 and to put the Trojans on ice. The Troy Women’s soccer team will be in action again on Friday, Sept. 11, as it takes on Tennessee Tech in Cookeville, Tennessee.