Aug. 28, 2003
Mizzou Opens 2003
The Missouri Tiger soccer team jumps into the 2003 season this week against the Iowa Hawkeyes on Friday, Aug. 29 at 7:00 p.m., in Iowa City, Iowa.
Mizzou comes back to Columbia the following Sunday to host the Northwestern Wildcats in Audrey J. Walton Stadium at 1:00 p.m. Following the home opener, the Tigers have scheduled a free poster signing.
Scouting Northwestern
The Tigers revisit a prior ritual hosting Northwestern in their season home opener for the third time in program history. The Wildcats were Mizzou's first opponent as an NCAA Division I program during the 1996 season. The Tigers fell in their first game 2-4.
Two years later Missouri faced the same challenge opening the season against Northwestern in 1998, but once again fell to the fates losing their second game to the Wildcats with a 2-4 score on another August 31st afternoon.
Another return facing the Tiger team is that of former Mizzou assistant Jenny Haigh. Leading the Wildcats in her third season, Haigh owns a record of 12-9-6. As a member of the Missouri staff, Haigh coached the Tigers during the 2000 season helping the team to a 10-10 record.
Last year under Haigh's tutelage, the Wildcats finished with a 4-9-5 record going 2-6-2 in the Big 10 Conference. She returns 14 letterwinners and nine starters to her 2003 squad.
Scoping the Tigers
Missouri returns to the field toting an 11-7-2 season record and a fourth-place finish in the Big 12 Conference after going 5-4-1 during league play in 2002. Bolstering the Tiger lineup, Mizzou returns 16 letterwinners and eight starters to the 2003 program in addition to five talented newcomers.
The Tigers are predicted to once again finish fourth in the Big 12 Preseason standings.
2002 Season Highlights
The Tigers rounded out the 2002 season with an 11-7-2 record and a 5-4-1 conference mark to finish fourth in the Big 12-their second-highest finish in Big 12 history.
Defender Lacy Moore and forward Jennifer Nobis earned All-Region Soccer Buzz honors for their performances during the 2002 season. Moore was named to the second team and Nobis was named to the All-Freshman team.
Sophomore Missy Peabody was named second team All-Big 12 after leading the league in shots and shots per game during the 2002 season. She set a new Missouri single-season shot record taking 95 aims on goal.
Junior scoring leader Adriene Davis established a new single-season record scoring in 13 consecutive matches.
Goalkeeper Megan Duncan was honored as the Ohio State Invitational Most Valuable Defensive Player after making nine saves in two games to help Mizzou to the tournament title. Also joining Duncan on the OSU Invitational All-Tournament team was fellow Tigers Amber Swinehart, Lacy Moore and Ashley Gibbs.
Lacy Moore and Erica Pusch were named to the Nike Tiger All-Tournament team.
Missouri had three Big 12 Player of the Week selections in Megan Duncan, Jennifer Nobis and Adriene Davis. Duncan was honored for her heroics during the Florida State Classic where she made 20 saves in 200 minutes of play. Nobis earned Newcomer of the Week honors going on a three-game tear scoring five goals and one assist and Davis received accolades after scoring three goals and an assist against ranked opponents Texas A&M and Texas.
The dynamic duo of forwards Adriene Davis and Missy Peabody paired up to score 45 percent of the Tigers' overall scoring during the 2002 season. Davis assisted four of Peabody's nine goals and Peabody assisted six of Davis' 10.
During Big 12 Conference play, junior Adriene Davis led league in scoring with 20 points. She scored seven goals and dished out six assists against conference opponents in 2003.
Goalkeeper Megan Duncan topped the Big 12 with 68 saves in just 12 games. She averages a league high 5.67 saves per game.
Missouri set a new single-season record taking seven games into overtime. The Tigers opened the year with three consecutive double-overtime games and a 1-1-1 record.
The Tiger team earned its highest grade point average in program history with a 3.31 high. In addition, eight Mizzou players were honored as Academic All-Big 12 selections. Karen Bauer, Carrie Crossett, Adriene Davis, Stephanie Krawczyk, Lacy Moore and Suzy Probst were each first-team selections while Angela Furin and Kristin Heil represented the Tigers on the second team.
The 2002 Missouri Soccer Media Guide earned an 11th-place national ranking from CoSida.
Tiger Preseason
Mizzou opened the year with a preseason international tour to Brazil. The Tigers faced various Brazilian professional and amateur teams going 3-2-1 in their six-game road stanza. Making note in the campaign, freshmen Aria Hudetz and Elyse Nikonchuk both earned starting positions on the 2003 squad. Hudetz will garner the forward line while Nikonchuk looks to make an impact in the backfield.