August 24, 1999

Columbia, Mo. - With three seasons under its belt, soccer at Mizzou is ready to make the big jump into collegiate soccer's elite class. Coming up Friday and Sunday, the Tigers will host Duke and Colorado at Walton Stadium as they begin their march through the 1999 regular season schedule.

TIGERS BEGIN 1999 SEASON WITH HOME OPENER

The Missouri Tiger women's soccer team will open its 1999 season with a home opener battle versus the Duke University Blue Devils. The August 27 match is the earliest season opener for Missouri in the programs history. MU then opens its 1999 Big 12 Conference schedule Sunday as the Colorado Buffaloes visit Tigertown. The Tigers are coming off a 1998 campaign in which the team set school records for wins (11), goals scored (56) and fewest goals allowed (36). Missouri advanced to the Big 12 Tournament championship game before falling to Nebraska, 4-0 and ending its season at 11-9-1. With the sting of not being invited to the 1998 NCAA Tournament still fresh, the '99 Tigers have set their sights on leaving no doubts that they belong among collegiate soccers elite.

JUST THE FACTS ON DUKE AND COLORADO

Friday's match with Duke will represent the first meeting of the ACC school and the Tigers. It will also be the season opener for both schools. The Blue Devils enter their 12th season of play in 1999, all under the direction of head coach Bill Hempen. The 1998 campaign was little rough for Duke, after earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament in 1997, the Blue Devils finished 7-11-2 in '98 overall, including an 0-5-2 conference record. Eight starters and 10 letterwinners return for the '99 season including senior midfielder Sheri Kester who earned 1998 all-ACC second team honors inleading the team last season with six goals and three assists. Former Big Eight and now Big 12 Conference foe Colorado will trek eastward for the Big 12 opener for both schools on Sunday. The August 29 match is the earliest start to the Big 12 season for the Tigers in the four-year history of the program. CU opens Big 12 play and their season at Lawrence, Kansas on August 27 in a match with the Jayhawks. The Buffs hold a 2-1 advantage all-time versus MU, though the Tigers scored a 6-1 victory last season in Boulder. The 1998 meeting saw five Tigers score goals led by Nikki Tholes two goals. Kristin Boker, Amy Timmermann, Erin Grimsley, and Stephanie Brennan also netted scores for MU. Jackie Adamec and Graham Watson earned a dual victory in goal. Eight starters and fifteen letterwinners return in '99 from a 1998 Colorado squad which posted a 5-12-3 mark overal, 2-6-2 in Big 12 Conference play. Austin Daniels begins his fourth season as head coach at CU, the eleventh overall for the program. Top returners for Colorado include forward/midfielder Melissa Cartmell, forward Shawn Kenyon and defenders Sarah Nowfel and Kendall Pata.

TIGERS TAKE REDBIRDS 5-1 IN PRESEASON MATCH

Missouri opened its schedule with a preseason win over Illinois St., 5-1 on Saturday, August 21. Nikki Thole and Erin Grimsley each netted a pair of goals and Thole added two assists, both on Grimsleys goals. Freshman Suzanne Probst added her first goal in a Tiger uniform on a pass from junior Kristin Boeker. Senior Jackie Adamec and sophomore Graham Watson Combined for the win in goal for MU. "We were happy that our midfielders became so involved in the attack today," Head Coach Bryan Blitz said. "We showed great depth off the bench which we feel is an improvement over past years and our new players really blended in well with our veterans." Missouri controlled the contest for much of the match, outshooting the Redbirds 19-8, while allowing ISU only one shot in the second half. The victory pushed Missouri's all-time preseason record to 5-1 over four seasons and was Missouri's fourth consecutive win including the teams three-game sweep of its trip to Holland.

INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS

Chemistry is not alot of fun to study, as this SID will tell you, but it a basic component of any great team. The Missouri Tigers started their 1999 chemistry project in early August when they traveled to Holland for three matches of international competition. MU swept their three-game schedule, with wins over the Belgium Devils (3-0), Team Holland (4-0) and Club Belgium (4-3). Six different Tigers scored for the Missouri attack, a testiment to the depth of Missouri's offensive threat. Nikki Thole led the way with four goals, while socring in all three games. Kristin Boeker added three goals of her own as MU outscored their opponents by a combined score of 11-3. Missouris defense was also in top form, shutting out its first two opponents and allowing just three goals to Club Belgium, the best team in the country of Belgium. "The way this team came together over that week and the chemistry that developed while we were there , exceeded my expectations for the trip," Head Coach Bryan Blitz said.

ELLIS COPY TIGER INVITATIONAL

The University of Missouri Department of Athletics is proud to announce Ellis Copy Center as the title sponsor for this seasons Missouri soccer invitational (formerly known as the Nike Invitational). The 1999 Ellis Copy Tiger Invitational will feature competition between the Missouri Tigers, Indiana Hoosiers, Michigan Wolverines, and Vanderbilt Commodores at the Audrey J. Walton Track-Soccer Field Stadium. on Spetember 3 and 5. "We are very pleased to have Ellis Copy Center support soccer at Mizzou," Head Coach Bryan Blitz said. "We feel we have a great invitational set up this season with all four teams and Ellis Copy Center's support only helps the invitational and the program not only now, but for years to come." The company's sponsorship of the invitational will be managed by Mizzou Sports Properties, responsible for securing corporate sponsorships and promoting MU's 20 men's and women's intercollegiate athletic programs. "This partnership is a win-win situation for all involved," said Mizzou Sports Properties General Manager Mike Behymer. "Ellis Library Copy Center is strategically placing itself as a sponsor of a sport that as a great deal of promise. We are happy they have the foresight to see the emerging opportunities with womens soccer."

SENIOR CLASS

Four years ago 17 soccer players came out for the first University of Missouri womens soccer team. Four years later five players begin their fourth and final season. Defenders Jennifer Kram, Liz Passanise, midfielders Heather Buchheit and Kate Dwyer and goalkeeper Liz LaTour founded the program in 1996 and are now after an NCAA Tournament berth to end their careers. "This group has showed tremendous work ethic and determination to get here," Head Coach Bryan Blitz said. "When you think about all the players that started the program and now only these five remain. We are really proud of their efforts."

POST-MATCH INTERVIEWS

Head Coach Bryan Blitz will conduct post-game interviews near the west sideline after a brief cooling-off period. A list of requests for player interviews should be submitted to Women's Soccer SID Eric Morrison or a Sports Information staff member before the completion of the game. Player interviews will be conducted immediately following Coach Blitz's remarks.