Oct. 5, 1999
Columbia, Mo. -
OKLAHOMA SCHOOLS VISIT WALTON STADIUM THIS WEEKEND
The No. 22 Missouri Tigers host the Oklahoma Sooners and Oklahoma State Cowgirls this weekend at Walton Stadium for two important Big 12 contests. MU?s 3-1 conference mark places the team third, behind 4-0 Nebraska and 4-1 Texas A&M, in the conference standings with six matches to play. The Sooners are 2-8-1 overall, 1-3 in the Big 12. OU has beat Colorado (4-2) last Friday night at home, but has suffered conference losses at Texas (1-0), at Texas A&M (5-0) and Oklahoma State (1-0). Last season, MU took the match 5-1 in Norman, Okla. All-time Missouri holds a 2-0 edge. The Cowgirls of Oklahoma State have a 3-9-0 overall mark including 1-3 in conference action. Oklahoma was Oklahoma State's lone victim while the Cowgirls have dropped matches at Texas A&M (4-0), at Texas (2-0) and at home to Colorado (3-1) this past Sunday. Missouri completed its sweep of the state of Oklahoma last season with a 3-2 win over OSU in Stillwater, Okla. All-time Missouri leads this series, 3-0.
OKLAHOMA AT A GLANCE
The Sooners (2-8-1, 1-3) are led in scoring by Jonette Coquat, a sophomore forward, with four goals and one assist for nine total points. Freshman midfielder Heather Martinelli has posted three goals and one assist, which when combined with Coquat?s numbers, represents 70% of Oklahoma?s scoring. In 11 matches, the Sooners have scored only ten goals, including just four goals in four conference matches. OU has also struggled in stopping its opponents. Sooner foes have netted more than twice as many goals as OU, scoring 22 goals overall and nine in conference action. Junior Ayn Toppin has started every match in goal for OU, registering a 1.84 goals against average with 37 saves. Freshman Jana Cunningham has played in nine matches, allowing ten goals while making 23 saves.
OKLAHOMA STATE AT A GLANCE
The Cowgirls, 3-9, 1-3 in Big 12, have never beaten MU is three tries. They are coming off a 3-1 victory Sunday over Louisiana State at home, but lost their last Big 12 contest, 3-1 at home last Friday, to Colorado. Junior forward/midfielder Andrea Larsen leads the OSU attack with four goals and three assists. Junior midfielder Anid Lute and senior forward Missy Moss have each netted three goals for OSU with three assists and one assist respectively. Thus far these three Cowgirls have scored 10 of OSU?s 12 total goals and have posted seven of the team?s 12 assists. Two freshmen have spilt time in net for OSU allowing a total of 35 goals over 12 matches. Katherine Doud has started six matches while playing in all 12 matches. She has made 41 saves allowing 2.00 goals per match. Laurel Catlett-King has started the Cowgirls other six matches, allowing 21 goals for a 4.20 goals against average.
BIG 12 CONFERENCE STANDINGS
Nebraska 4 0 0 1.000
Texas A&M 4 1 0 .800
Missouri 3 1 0 .750
Iowa State 2 2 0 .500
Colorado 2 2 0 .500
Baylor 2 2 0 .500
Texas 2 3 0 .400
Kansas 1 3 0 .250
Texas Tech 1 3 0 .250
Oklahoma State 1 3 0 .250
Oklahoma 1 3 0 .250
DEUCES WILD IN TIGER WINS
Missouri?s forward combo of Nikki Thole and Erin Grimsley are the only Tigers to score two goals in a match this season. More than that, when one of the two pours in two goals, MU is a perfect 7-0. Thole or Grimsley have scored two goals in seven of Missouri?s eight wins, but the two have never each scored two goals in the same match. The only time one or the other has not scored two in a win? Missouri?s 3-1 victory over Cal Poly-SLO. In that match Thole had one goal in a 3-1 victory at the California Classic in San Luis Obispo, Calif.
ADAMEC SAVES THE DAY IN NET
When looking for a reason why the Tigers were able to bounce back after a disappointing loss to takedown the defending Big 12 regular season champion, Baylor Bears, look no further than senior captain Jackie Adamec. The MU goalkeeper registered a career-high 14 saves on Sunday while facing a career-high 30 shots from the Bears in Missouri?s 3-1 victory. With all the scoring occuring in the first half, Adamec single-handedly kept MU?s advantage in the second frame on several occasions. In the second half alone, Adamec faced 17 shots without allowing a goal, the most shots by an MU opponent in one half this season.
TWO WINS EQUALS .500 ALL-TIME
Wins over Oklahoma and Oklahoma State this weekend at Walton Stadium would give MU an all-time Big 12 mark of 20-20. It would mark the first time MU has been at the .500 mark all-time in the program?s history. Currently, MU stands at 18-20, breaking down to a 9-8 conference home record, 6-10 conference road record and a 3-2 Big 12 Tournament mark in two appearances (1996 & 1998).
TIGERS AMONG BIG 12 LEADERS IN SCORING, FEWEST GOALS ALLOWED
MU ranks third in the Big 12 in scoring potency, netting 34 goals in 11 matches for a 3.09 goals per match average. In four Big 12 contests, Missouri has scored 14 goals, second in the conference behind Texas A&M which has scored 18 goals in five conference contests. Defensively, the Tigers have allowed more than 50% fewer goals than they have scored. MU has stonewalled its opponents by allowing only 16 scores--1.46 goals per match--thus far which ties MU for fourth place among Big 12 schools. In conference matches, Missouri has given up just seven scores, also fourth among Big 12 squads.
SEASON-HIGH WIN TOTALS ON THE HORIZON
At 8-3, and 3-1 in the Big 12 Conference, Missouri is off to its best start in school history. Most assuredly, the team will reach a new high mark for wins in a season. Last year?s total of 11 stands as the current high and MU needs just four wins in its fianl nine matches to pass that. In Big 12 play, 1998?s five regular season wins and seven total confernece wins--Big 12 tourney wins over Texas and Baylor included--look to be in danger of losing their distinction of most conference wins by the Tigers in a season. Six regular season conference contests plus any matches in the Big 12 Tournament remain for a team which has already posted three Big 12 wins.
MISSOURI SOCCER IS A HOT TICKET
Attendance at Missouri soccer games has been booming, with increases expected. Through six matches at Walton Stadium--including the Michigan and Indiana matches which were part of the Ellis Copy Tiger Invitational--Missouri soccer has drawn 3,465 fans for an average of 578 per match. The Tigers have five home dates remaining, four Big 12 Conference tilts--Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, Texas---and a non-conference match with Tulsa.
INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS
Chemistry is not alot of fun to study, as this SID will tell you, but any coach will tell you that it is 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 scoring in all three games. Kristin Boeker added three goals of her own as MU outscored their opponents by a combined score of 11-3. Missouri?s 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 LIBRARY COPY CENTER ANNOUNCES SOCCER DONATION
The University of Missouri Department of Athletics is proud to announce Ellis Copy Center as the title sponsor for this season?s Missouri soccer invitational. The 1999 Ellis Copy Center Invitational featured 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 Propertires, responsible for securing sorporate 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 women?s soccer.?
POST-MATCH INTERVIEWS
Head Coach Bryan Blitz will conduct post-game interviews near the west sideline after a brief cooling-off period. Player will be available immediately following Coach Blitz?s remarks.