Sept. 29, 2004
Tiger Itinerary
Mizzou kicks off a four game home stand hosting #17 Nebraska and #23 Colorado this weekend. The Tigers take on the Huskers on Fri., Oct. 1 at 7:00 p.m., before facing the Buffs on Sun., Oct. 3 at 1:00 p.m.
Mizzou hosts #11 Kansas and Iowa State next weekend Oct. 8-10.
Missouri soccer home games are played in Audrey J. Walton Stadium. Tickets for the season are available by calling the Mizzou Ticket Office at 884-PAWS. Fans can also purchase tickets at the stadium on game day.
Catch All the Action
Tiger fans can tune into the action of each Mizzou home game listening to live radio coverage on KCOU 88.1 FM.
Former Tigers Megan Duncan and Melissa McLellan join the cast of commentators providing play-by-play action during each Mizzou home game.
Fans can also access the broadcast by logging on to the KCOU website at www.kcou.mu.org.
Mizzou Livestats
Mizzou fans can access live statistics updates during all Tiger home games by logging onto the Missouri website at www.mutigers.com.
To access the Gametracker program, jump to the Mizzou soccer schedule page and select livestats to access minute-by-minute game results.
Scouting #17 Nebraska
The Huskers are 8-3-0 on the year with a 2-0-0 Big 12 Conference mark to rank second in league standings. Nebraska defeated then #9 ranked Kansas (1-0) and Iowa State (3-2) in conference play last weekend. Taking three losses on the year, the Huskers have fallen to #1 North Carolina (1-0), #23 Stanford (1-0) and Pacific (2-1).
Nebraska returns 15 letterwinners to the 2004 squad, including nine starters. Mizzou picked up their first victory in program history against the Huskers last season when the Tigers defeated NU 3-2 in the semifinal of the Big 12 Tournament. Nebraska owns the MU-NU series record 11-1.
Scouting #23 Colorado
The Buffs are 7-2-1 on the season owning a 1-1 Big 12 Conference mark to join Kansas, Baylor and Missouri in a four-way tie for fourth in league standings. Opening Big 12 play, Colorado defeated Iowa State 1-0 before dropping a 2-1 loss to then #9 Kansas.
Colorado returns 14 letterwinners this season, including all 11 starters. The Buffs defeated the Tigers 3-2 in regular season play last year. Mizzou came back to dominate Colorado in Big 12 Tournament play dropping the Buffs 2-0 in the first round. The feat marked the first time in tournament history a #8 seed had defeated a #1 seed. Mizzou leads the MU-CU series 6-4-1.
Weekend Recap
Missouri is tied for fourth in the Big 12 owning a 4-5-1 record and a 1-1 league mark.
Opening Big 12 action, the Tigers made a tremendous come-from-behind victory against the Sooners to pick up their first road win in Norman, Okla. Facing a 1-0 deficit, Shea Swoboda tied the game late in the second half scoring a goal off a cornerkick assisted by Erica Pusch and Elyse Nikonchuk. Pusch came back to score the game-winner launching a 35 yard shot to end the match with just four minutes remaining in sudden death play.
Playing Oklahoma State, the Cowgirls notched the scorecard in the first half to lead Mizzou 1-0. The Tigers fought back with a goal by defender Ashley Gibbs. Fellow half back Lauren Grice earned an assist knocking a deflected cornerkick back into the fray where Gibbs put the ball behind the goal line. The lone goal was not enough however as OSU came back to score a pair in the second half. Despite offsides objections on both goals, the score was officially ruled 3-1 in favor of Oklahoma State.
Tigers in the Rankings
Keeping pace with a rigorous schedule, the Tigers are poised to play nine teams ranked in at least one weekly national poll including (ranking marks the highest received in 2004):
Texas A&M - #4 SoccerBuzz
Texas - #4 Soccer America
Florida - #4 SoccerBuzz
Kansas - #6 SoccerBuzz
Stanford - #10 SoccerBuzz
Illinois - #10 NSCAA/adidas
Colorado - #17 Soccer America
Nebraska - #17 Soccer America
Wisconsin - #16 NSCAA/adidas
Tiger Highlights
* The Missouri defensive line has contributed 43 percent of Mizzou's scoring so far this season. Defenders Karen Bauer, Elyse Nikonchuk, Lacy Moore, Ashley Gibbs, Lauren Grice and Erica Pusch have together supplied 15 of Mizzou's 35 points. Tiger halfbacks have scored four of the Tigers' 11 goals and 7-of-11 assists on the year.
* Nine of Missouri's starting field players have contributed either a goal or an assist during the Tigers 10 games this season.
* Mizzou's 2-1 overtime victory against Oklahoma marks the first time a Missouri team has defeated the Sooners in Norman. The victory brings the Tiger's series record against OU to 5-3. The Tigers out shot the Sooners 20-to-6 during the game, and kept Oklahoma from taking a single shot during overtime play.
* Opening the year with a 1-1 record, the Tigers have opened their fifth straight season with a win, including their second consecutive season opening victory on the road.
* Missouri is out shooting its opponents an average of 17.8-to-11.5 shots per game. In Big 12 Conference standings, the Tigers rank fifth in shots taken. In conference play, the Tigers rank third in shots taken averaging 17 per game (34).
* The Tigers rank third in league standings dishing three assists during conference play. Mizzou also ranks fourth scoring three goals against Big 12 opponents so far this season.