Columbia, Mo. - The Missouri soccer team announces the release of its 2005 spring soccer schedule pairing the Tigers against six teams. Mizzou hosts Western Kentucky, Drury, Oral Roberts and Southwest Missouri State in Columbia and travels to St. Louis to meet Ohio State and Illinois.

Missouri returns 15 athletes from its fall roster and one transfer that is eligible to play spring ball. Mizzou finished the fall season owning a 9-10-1 mark and a #12 ranking in the Soccer Buzz Central Region post season poll.

Highlighting the spring series, Missouri hosts the First Annual Seven vs. Seven Soccer Tournament on Sat., March, 12. The all-day event held on Faurot Field in Memorial Stadium, welcomes Western Kentucky and Drury. Dividing each lineup into two seven member teams to create six competitive squads promises to be a thrilling display of collegiate soccer at its finest.

Western Kentucky finished the 2004 fall season with a 10-9 record. The Hilltoppers return 13 players for the spring season including leading goal scorers Jenna Silverberg (8), Ceci Shell (7) and Betsy Duncan (6). Drury returns 18 players from a fall roster that went 5-12-1.

On Sun., April 3 at 4:00 p.m., Oral Roberts venture to Columbia to take on the Tigers. The Golden Eagles ended the fall season ranked 13th in the Soccer Buzz South Central Region after finishing year with a 14-6-1 and an NCAA first round appearance. Oral Roberts returns 15 letterwinners from its Mid-Continent Conference season and tournament championship team.

Traveling to St. Louis, Mo., for their first of two road trips, the Tigers face Ohio State on Sat., April 9 at 2:00 p.m., at the SportPort Soccer Complex. The Big 10 Conference champions are coming off a 19-4-3 season including an NCAA Elite Eight appearance. The Buckeyes return 20 athletes including seven starters, their top four leading scorers and the 2004 National Freshman of the Year Lara Dickenmann.

The following weekend the Tigers return to St. Louis on Sat., April 16 to take on Illinois at Mary Institute and Country Day School. Illinois returns 19 players that the Illini to a #14 NSCAA/adidas ranking following a 16-6-2 showing including berth to the NCAA Elite Eight. In their last meeting August 29th, the Illini bested the Tigers 4-1 in Champaign, Ill.

Renewing their in-state rivalry, the Tigers host Southwest Missouri State on Sat., April 23 at 12:00 p.m. Facing the Bears in exhibition play last fall, the Tigers defeated SMS 7-2. The Bears finished regular season with a 9-4-4 record and return 18 players including seven starters for the 2005 spring season.

The Tigers cap off their spring schedule with the annual Mizzou Alumni Game on Sun., April 24 at 12:00 p.m. The Alumni Game gives former Tiger soccer stars the chance to test their skills against members of the 2005 Missouri squad.

All Mizzou soccer spring games are free and open to the public. For more information call the Mizzou Soccer Office at (573) 882-6805