May 22, 2006

Seven members of the Missouri soccer team, as well as a former and incoming player, will play in the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) this summer. The WPSL, which ranks as the best women's soccer league in the U.S. and the second best league in the world, is made up of former professionals, post-collegiate, collegiate and high school players.

Current Tigers Janelle Cordia (Columbia, Mo.), Ashley Hamblin (Cedar Rapids, Iowa), Meghan Pfeiffer Chesterfield, Mo.), Mo Redmond (Brownsburg, Ind.) and Kat Tarr (Vancouver, Wash.) are joined with former Mizzou player Jennifer Nobis and incoming Tiger Katya Hessel as members of the River Cities FC. The soccer club, which plays its games at Christian Brothers' High School in St. Louis, is in its inaugural year in the WSPL as a member of the Midwest Division.

The squad will play 12 games, including five homes games at Christian Brothers' throughout May, June and July. On Saturday, May 20, River Cities opened its season with a 3-0 win over FC St. Louis. Nobis had her hand in all three River Cities' goals with one assist and two goals for five points in the contest.

Two more Tigers, Aria Hudetz (Fort Collins, Colo.) and Maddie Senkosky (Springfield, Mo.) will play for the WSPL's Denver Diamonds during the 2006 season. The Diamonds are back in the WSPL after a year hiatus and will compete in the league's Southwest Division. The squad picked up a 1-0 win over the Colorado Springs Sabers on Saturday, May 20.

The two teams will square off on Friday, May 26 at Brighton High School in Brighton, Colo., at 7 p.m. River Cities will then travel down to Colorado Springs, Colo., to face the Colorado Springs Sabers at Harrison High School on Saturday, May 27 at 7 p.m. The Diamonds return to action in a rematch against the Sabers on Wednesday, May 31 at 5 p.m. at Denver's, Invesco Field in a double header that also features Major League Soccer's' Colorado Rapids face off against the Los Angeles Galaxy.