May 18, 2006
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Taking advantage of the opportunity to toy with different formations and positions, the Missouri women's soccer team used its spring schedule as a tune-up for the upcoming 2006 fall season. The Tigers ended the spring with a 3-2-1 record, including an impressive outing against the full Canadian National Team, and improved their play from the first game to the last.
"We improved as a team and individuals improved throughout the course of the spring season," said Bryan Blitz, Missouri head coach. "We were able to try new formations and play around with positions, which is what the spring is all about."
After a 3-1 loss to a U-16 Boys Club Team to open the spring season on March 13, the Tigers bounced back with a 2-1 win over Memphis on March 19. Junior Aria Hudetz got Missouri on the board just four minutes into the game off feeds from freshmen Meghan Pfeiffer and Ashley Hamblin. After Memphis tied the game, Jennifer Nobis scored the game-winner from a Hudetz pass in the 78th minute for a 2-1 Tiger win.
The Tigers next played Marquette, which finished 2005 ranked 14th. Mizzou got goals from junior Elyse Nikonchuk, Hamblin and Amber Swinehart in a 3-1 victory to improve its spring record to 2-1.
The spring season was highlighted by a matchup with the full Canadian National Team. Canada entered its contest with Missouri with 9-0 and 6-1 wins over Louisville and Purdue, respectively, but the Tigers held the Canadians to two goals in Canada's 2-0 win. Mizzou surrendered first-half goals to Martina Franko and 2004 and 2005 Hermann Trophy winner Christine Sinclair but held Canada scoreless in the final 45 minutes.
Against Missouri State, Missouri tried out different formations and positions en route to a 1-1 tie with the in-state rival Bears. Junior Meggie Malm scored Mizzou's lone goal in the 60th minute as Hudetz and Hamblin assisted on the play.
The Tigers concluded the competitive part of their spring schedule with an impressive 4-1 win over a U-16 Boys Club team. Freshman Kat Tarr scored in the 18th minute when she headed home a corner kick from Hamblin for the game's first goal. Nobis put Mizzou up 2-0 off a feed from Malm in the 36th minute and seven minutes later, Malm gathered a pass from freshman Mo Redmond for a 3-0 Tiger advantage. After surrendering a goal, Missouri closed out scoring in the 66th minute when Nikonchuk headed a pass from Pfeiffer.
"At the beginning of the spring we had our moments" said Malm. "We just couldn't play a full game. By our last game, we played the whole 90 minutes well."
Mizzou ended its spring season with its annual Alumni Event, which features former and current Tigers playing alongside each other in friendly but competitive seven-v-seven games. The squad of former Tigers Karen Bauer, Erica Pusch and Shea Swoboda teamed up with current players Anne Baxter, Mallory Forst and Nikonchuk to win the championship on a game-winning goal from goalkeeper Forst.
Hudetz led the Tigers with seven points on two goals and three assists in the spring season. Malm, who played on the back line each of her three years as a Tiger, played up top and in the midfield for Missouri's final two games and recorded two goals and one assist for five points. Hamblin dished out three assists and added a goal to also tally five points while Nikonchuk scored two goals to notch four points.
Seeing her first game action in a Mizzou uniform, Pfeiffer bounced back from a knee injury to record three assists for three points. Tarr scored one goal for two points while Baxter and Redmond each had one assist.
Forst made 19 saves and posted a 1.5 goals-against-average over the six games.
"During the spring, the coaches emphasized controlled possessions. By the end of the spring season, we moved the ball well and played a style of soccer that can carry us into the fall season."