Oct. 18, 2001
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Up this week
The University of Missouri women's soccer team takes on two of the nation's best teams this weekend when it hosts No. 12 ranked Texas and No. 17 ranked Texas A&M. The Tigers face the Longhorns on Fri., Oct. 19 at 7:00 p.m. The MU-TA&M game is scheduled to begin on Sun., Oct. 21 at 12:00 p.m.
Both games will be played in Audrey J. Walton Soccer Complex. Tickets are available at the Walton Stadium Ticket Office on game day or by calling 1-800-CAT-PAWS.
Promotions
Friday is Residence Hall Night, fans have the chance to register to win a pair of tickets to five home Missouri men's basketball games. Entries for the contest will be available at both the East and West entrance gates. Winners of the promotion will be announced during the game.
Sunday is Scout Day. All scouts are invited to attend the game as a troop. Scouts wearing their uniforms will receive admission for just $2. The Texas A&M game also usher's in the Tiger's annual Youth Clinic. All youth sixth grade and under are invited to participate in the free clinic following the match. As a bonus, all participants wearing their club soccer jersey can receive admission to the game for just $1.
For more information on Missouri soccer promotions, please contact Brooke Bond in the MU Athletic Marketing Office at (573) 882-0713.
Meet Coach Blitz
The Mizzou soccer coaching staff would like to invite soccer fans to "Lunch with Coach Blitz" Mon., Nov 5 at 11:30 a.m. Join Coach Blitz and the MU soccer coaching staff for a session of chalk talk and learn about the Missouri soccer program. The luncheon will be held in the Tom Taylor Dining Hall and is only $7.50 per person. Please contact Kate Cortis, Director of Soccer Operations, for reservations at (573) 884-1522.
Radio Coverage
The Missouri-Texas A&M game on Sun., Oct. 21 will be aired live on KWWC radio. Join KBXR's Simon Rose and KOMU-Channel 8's Chris Gervino for all the action. Tune into 90.5 FM at 1:00 p.m.
In addition to live radio coverage, the game will also be featured live on the Missouri Tiger web site. Log onto www.mutigers.com and select radio coverage from the Missouri soccer team's schedule/results page.
For more information on Missouri radio coverage, contact the MU Media Relations Office at (573) 882-2531.
Tigers in the Big 12
Missouri is fourth in Big 12 Conference standings with a 4-2 league record. Texas tops the pack going 5-0, Kansas is second with a 5-1 mark and Nebraska ranks fourth going 4-1 in league play. The Tigers are 9-4 on the season overall.
Mizzou tops the Big 12 with 28 assists on the year to average 2.15 per game. The Tigers are also second in the league with 5.15 saves per outing and five shutouts on the year. Missouri is averaging 17.54 shots and 6.77 points per game to rank fifth. The Tigers have 30 goals on the season.
Scouting the Longhorns
No. 12 ranked Texas leads as the Big 12 Conference's only undefeated team with a 5-0 record. The Longhorns own league victories over No. 4 ranked Nebraska (2-1), Colorado (3-2), Texas Tech (4-1), Baylor (2-0) and Iowa State (5-1). The Longhorns are 7-3 overall.
Kelly Wilson leads Texas with nine goals, seven assists and 25 points on the year. Wilson serves as the Longhorn's sure-foot taking 33-of-55 shots on goal for a .660 shot on goal percentage. She also tops the team with three game-winning goals.
Shay Wilkerson and Alex Gagarin pair up in the Texas goal box. Wilkerson has played four games for the Longhorns allowing six goals, making 26 saves and posting a 1.38 goals against average. She is 1-3 on the year. Gagarin is 6-0 on the season owning two shutouts. She has allowed six goals, made 18 saves and owns a 1.00 goals-against average.
Texas rounded out the 2000 season with a 12-7 record going 7-3 in the Big 12 Conference to finish third in league standings. The Longhorns return all 11 starters and 19 letterwinners to the 2001 squad. Texas leads the MU-UT series 3-1-1.
Scouting the Aggies
No. 17 ranked Texas A&M is 6-3-1 on the year with a 3-1-1 Big 12 Conference record. The Aggies are ranked fifth in league standings with victories over Texas Tech (4-1), Baylor (6-0) and Iowa State (3-0). TA&M picked up its only league loss to Nebraska (4-2) and tied Colorado (2-2).
Linsey Johnson leads the Aggies with seven goals, five assists and 19 points on the year. Forward Nicky Thrasher comes in a close second with 16 points. She has six goals and four assists.
Goalkeeper Esther Johnson anchors the Texas A&M box. She has played all 10 games on the season and owns a 6-3-1 record. She has allowed 15 goals, made 28 saves and owns a 1.53 goals against average. Johnson has three shutouts.
Texas A&M went 18-7 with an 8-2 Big 12 Conference mark to finish second in conference rankings. TA&M also finished out the 2000 season with a 12th-place ranking in the NSCAA/adidas standings. The Aggies return eight starters and 15 letterwinners. Texas A&M owns the MU-TA&M series 4-1.
Tigers Last Ups
Missouri boosts its record to 9-4 and 4-2 in the Big 12 after a 2-0 conference weekend. The Tigers picked up their fifth shutout of the season downing Colorado 2-0. The Buffaloes played a competitive game tying Mizzou with 15 shots, but the Tiger offense overpowered the CU defense for the victory.
Mizzou controlled the game against Texas Tech scoring four goals while allowing one. Missouri outshot the Raiders 19-to-14.
Duncan Delivers
Goalkeeper Megan Duncan was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week Oct. 15-20 after a 2-0 conference weekend against Colorado and Texas Tech. The sophomore logged her fourth shutout of the season against the Buffaloes making six saves in the Tigers' 2-0 victory. Against the Red Raiders, Duncan knocked down seven shots and allowed just one goal.
Overall, the Tulsa, Okla., native is 7-4 on the year. She has made 62 saves and allowed 17 goals to record a 1.66 goals against average. Duncan is second in the Big 12 in saves and tops the league with 6.0 saves per contest. She leads the Big 12 with four shutouts and is fourth in shutouts per games. She has the leagues' seventh lowest goals against average.
Dynamite Davis
All-Big 12 candidate Adrienne Davis posted two more goals to her season tally against Texas Tech. She scored the game-tying goal on an assist by Tamara Kochen. The forward lobbed a pass over the Raider defensive line enabling Davis to lure the keeper for an easy goal. She also scored the final goal of the game unassisted when she beat the Texas Tech defense for a clean shot.
Davis scored MU's only goals against both Nebraska and Iowa State. The forward posted her second game-winning goal of the year heading in a corner kick against the Cyclones.
The feat continues to boost what could possibly be a hallmark season for the sophomore. Davis gave Tiger fans another reason to pack the stands with an amazing display in MU's 6-1 victory over Drury. The forward contributed to every goal scored in the game dishing out four assists and scoring two goals. Davis set two Missouri single-game records with the feat in assists and scoring eight points.
Playing in 11 games, Davis has scored 25 points. She also leads the Tigers with eight goals and nine assists. She has taken 47 shots overall, including 225 shots on goal to post a .532 shots on goal percentage.
Davis tops the Big 12 Conference with nine assists to average 0.82 assists per outing. The Edmond, Okla., native is tied for first in the league in points and is second in points per game with 2.27. She also ranks third in goals, is fourth in shots and fifth in game-winning goals.
Getting the Proof on Peabody
Freshman All-Big 12 candidate Melissa Peabody continues to rack up points for the Tigers. The freshman scored the game-winning goal in the Tigers' 4-1 victory over Texas Tech. Defender Carrie Crossett lofted a cross into fellow forward Adriene Davis who knocked the ball down with a flick to Peabody who capitalized on the play.
The forward dished out her first assist of the season helping Adriene Davis score MU's only goal against No. 4 ranked Nebraska.
In non-conference play, Peabody recorded three back-to-back games scoring goals for Missouri. She posted her first collegiate goal against Indiana State when she scored two goals just eight minutes apart to win the Indiana State game 4-0. Against Iowa she once again scored the game winner to lead MU to it's fourth season victory and, in Mizzou's 6-1 victory over Drury, she posted two goals.
Against No. 1 ranked North Carolina, Peabody was the only Mizzou athlete to make an offensive advance. She took two shots, including one shot on goal against the Tar Heels.
Peabody is second on the team with 13 points. She has scored six goals and one assist and leads the team with three game-winning goals. In Big 12 Conference standings, Peabody ranks fifth in shots and 10th in goals. She is also tied for second in game-winning goals.
Finding Her Game
Israeli national team member Tamara Kochen exploded onto the Big 12 Conference scene against Colorado and Texas Tech. In just two games the freshman recorded four points with a goal and two assists. Kochen scored her second collegiate goal against the Buffaloes. Freshmen Ashley Gibbs and Kristen Heil moved the ball up the field for the forward where she was able to rocket a hard shot into top right corner of the Colorado net. Against Texas Tech, Kochen lofted a pass over the Red Raider defensive line to help Adriene Davis score the game-tying goal. She also came back to help Heil score her first goal of the year.
The weekend ranks Kochen fifth on the team with six points. She has two goals, two assists and one game-winning goal on the season.
The Mastery of McLellan
Sophomore Melissa McLellan showed Mizzou fans exactly why she was named the Missouri soccer team's Most Improved Player in 2000. The forward ripped in MU's only goal against Oklahoma in grand style. Considered by head coach Bryan Blitz to be the, "finest goal I've seen at Missouri," McLellan collected a pass from Adriene Davis and sunk the ball into the top corner of the OU net. The strike was picture perfect leaving Oklahoma goalkeeper Catherine Wade stunned in the box.
The goal came on the heels of McLellan's game-winning assist against Oklahoma State. With just four minutes left in the game, she sent a pass from the top left corner of the OSU goalbox to Karen Bauer who struck the game-winner.
As the conference season progresses, the forward continues her offensive onslaught. She scored her fourth goal of the season in Missouri's 2-0 victory over Colorado unassisted. The 5-foot-9 sophomore beat the Buffalo defense for the score.
Overall, McLellan is tied for third on the team with nine points. She has four goals and one assist. She has taken 23 shots, including 14 shots on goal, to post a .609 shots on goal percentage. She also has one game-winning goal on the year.
On the Board
Freshman Kristen Heil put up her first collegiate goal against Texas Tech. The forward headed in a bouncing ball sent in by Tamara Kochen. She boosts her season point tally to four as she also has two assists. Heil has played in all 13 games for the Tigers playing an instrumental role for the Mizzou offense.
Bauer Breaking Out
Midfielder Karen Bauer stepped up as Missouri's offensive rescue force pulling the Tigers over a 2-0 deficit to defeat Oklahoma State 3-2. Bauer put Mizzou on the board with a goal in the second period from a cross by defender Carrie Crossett. She came back to score the game-winning goal with just four minutes left in the period from an assist by Melissa McLellan.
Bauer is third on the team with seven points. She has three goals and one assist on the year, including a game-winning goal.
Defense is the Key
All-Big 12 candidate Dyana Russell picked up another offensive accolade in the Tigers' topping of Iowa State. The senior dished out her second assist of the season with a game-winning corner kick scored by Adriene Davis. The point marks Russell's fourth of the season adding to an unassisted goal against Iowa and an assist against Drury.
In addition to her offensive prowess, the defender continues to prove herself in the Tiger backfield. Russell anchors the Missouri defensive line that has thus far decimated the offensive opposition. In 11 games, she has helped the squad keep their opponents to just 76 shot on goal attempts to average just 11.9 shots per game.
Russell single handedly shut down North Texas' Marilyn Marin, the Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year and the Eagles leading scorer. Playing 77 minutes against Russell, Marin was only able to rip off two shots, neither of which was on goal. In addition, Russell topped Iowa offensive leader Sarah Lynch, who was kept to just four shots.
She was honored as the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week for the week of Sept. 11.
Valuable Contributions
Adding to the solid defensive effort, freshman Kim Hibbert and junior walk-on Carrie Crossett have proven themselves as valuable assets to the Missouri defensive line. Both players have started all 13 games for the Tigers, playing over 80 minutes each game. Hibbert and Crossett add volumes of speed to the Tiger defensive game as well as impressive control and vision.
Crossett, a walk-on to the 2001 squad, has also proven herself as a valuable offensive contributor. She has three assists on the season. She delivered the game-winning cross in MU's victories over Colorado and Texas Tech over the weekend.
The two newcomers join veterans Dyana Russell and Mandy Waters creating a solid defensive force keeping their opponents to just 92 shots on goal in 1,170 minutes of play, including a perfect shutout game against Indiana State where the Tigers outshot the Sycamores 34-0.
Also putting in minutes for the Tigers, freshman Lacy Moore has started every game thus far as MU's defensive center midfielder. She scored her first collegiate goal against Duke from an assist by defender Mandy Waters. Along side Suzy Probst and Steph Brennan, Moore adds a great deal of depth, control and leadership to the MU half field.
Probst on the Prowl
Missouri fans have long known midfielder Suzy Probst to be one of the best defensive players in the Big 12 Conference, but in MU's season opener, the junior showed off her dynamic offensive flavor. Probst scored two of Missouri's three goals against Memphis to lead the Tigers to a 3-2 victory.
The midfielder scored the first goal of the game 20 minutes into the first period. Freshman Kristen Heil sailed a cross inside to forward Adriene Davis who was unable to take a solid shot. Davis made a tight ground pass to Probst in the box for the score. For her second play, Probst picked up a ball that ricocheted off a Memphis defender for an unassisted point.
Probst is fourth on the team with two goals and one assist for five points. She helped the Tigers to a 1-0 shutout victory over Iowa State knocking down a corner kick sent in by Dyana Russell thus enabling forward Adriene Davis to score.
In the Net
Goalkeeper Stephanie Krawczyk opened the 2001 season for MU against Memphis. She allowed two goals, made three saves and helped the Tigers to a 3-2 victory. The Anchorage, Alaska, native picked up her first shutout of the season against Indiana State recording a 4-0 victory. Krawczyk is ranked 10th in the Big 12 in shutouts.
Tiger Team Notes
? In individual game-highs, Adriene Davis leads the nation with four assists and ranks eighth in the NCAA scoring eight points against Drury. She is also 10th in the nation with 2.27 points and .82 assists per outing in individual season statistics.
? Freshman Shea Swoboda tops the Tigers with a .867 shot on goal percentage. She has taken 15 shots, 13 of which have been on goal. Swoboda has two goal on the season for four points.
? The Tigers are averaging 2.3 goals per game while keeping their opponents to just 1.8 per outing.
? Missouri is currently ranked eighth in the SoccerBuzz and 10th in the NSCAA/adidas Central Region rankings. The Tigers join fellow Big 12 opponents Nebraska, Texas, Texas A&M, Kansas and Oklahoma in the poll.
? This season, the Big 12 Conference has honored three Mizzou athletes as Big 12 Players of the Week. Megan Duncan and Dyana Russell have received Defensive Player of the Week accolades and Melissa Peabody was honored as a Newcomer of the Week.