Feb. 17, 2006
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Missouri soccer program announces its 2006 spring soccer schedule, which pairs the Tigers against five different teams in six games. On the home schedule are contests against two U-16 Boys Club teams and games with 2005 NCAA Sweet 16 competitor Marquette and the full Canadian National Team.
"We are very excited about the 2006 spring and the game schedule we have in place," said Missouri head coach Bryan Blitz. "It is going to be a great opportunity for all of our players to gain valuable experience against some very competitive and challenging opponents."
Mizzou returns 14 student-athletes from a fall squad that finished the season 9-8-3 and made the Big 12 Conference Tournament. During the 2005 spring season, Missouri compiled wins over Illinois, Missouri State, Ohio State and Oral Roberts for a perfect 4-0 record.
The Tigers open the spring season with a game against a local U-16 Boys Team on Sunday, March 12 at 5 p.m. CST at Walton Stadium. The team is comprised of select club soccer players who are from the Mid-Missouri area.
"It is always great for us to play against boys because they traditionally force our girls to play quicker both physically and mentally," said Blitz. "It should be a great contest."
Missouri next hosts Conference USA squad Memphis on Sunday, March 19 at 10 a.m. CST. The Tigers ended their fall campaign with a 5-4 loss in the quarterfinals of the Conference USA Tournament to the University of Texas- El Paso. Heading into the spring season, Memphis only lost two seniors from the 2005 fall team that finished with a 12-7 record.
Traveling to Maryland Heights, Mo., Mizzou faces Marquette on Saturday, April 8 at 1:30 p.m. CST at Sportport. Marquette is coming off its best season after advancing to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time in program history. The Golden Eagles fell to UCLA to close out their season but ended the year ranked No. 14 with a 19-4-1 mark.
The spring season is highlighted by a matchup against the full Canadian National Team on Tuesday, April 11 at 7 p.m. CDT at Walton Stadium. Boasting a slew of current and former athletes who played collegiate soccer in the U.S., the Canadians finished an impressive fourth at the 2003 World Cup. The two squads were supposed to play an exhibition game prior to the 2005 fall season but a scheduling conflict postponed the contest until the spring season.
On Friday, April 21 at 7 p.m. CDT, Mizzou will face in-state foe Missouri State at Liberty High School in Kansas City, Mo. Last season, the Bears finished with a 9-4-5 and fell to Evansville in the opening game of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.
"The spring season is about growth and development as both an individual and a team," said Blitz. "We feel these four quality opponents will test every facet of our team as well as make us better going into the 2006 fall season."
The Tigers close out their spring schedule with a rematch of the U-16 Boys Club Team on Thursday, April 27 at 7 p.m. CDT at Walton Stadium.
All Missouri spring soccer games are free and open to the public. For more information, call the Tiger soccer office at (573) 882-7951.