Sept. 10, 2006
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Despite yielding its first two goals of the season, the Missouri women's soccer team outlasted Loyola-Chicago 3-2 on Sunday afternoon at Walton Stadium to tie the program record with six-consecutive victories. The Ramblers first goal in the 5th minute broke a 454:53 scoreless streak to start the season for Missouri (6-0-0) and ended Mizzou's five-straight shutout stretch.
Sophomore Ashley Hamblin assisted on all three Tiger goals to boost her team-leading point total to 15 on the season.
"We'll always take a win but our effort didn't match our talent today," said Missouri Head Coach Bryan Blitz. "We gave up effort goals and we didn't bring any effort today. This weekend taught us we can't look past other schools."
The Tigers got on the board early when Hamblin threaded a ball up to redshirt-freshman Meghan Pfeiffer. The midfielder ran into the box and shot the ball into the lower far post from six yards out for a 1-0 Mizzou lead in the 4th minute.
The lead was short-lived, however, as Loyola-Chicago's Stephanie Pauli headed home a pass from Katie Heidenreich to knot the game at 1-1. The goal was the first allowed by sophomore goalkeeper Mallory Forst in her collegiate career.
Mizzou kept up the offensive pressure and struck again in the 14th minute. Hamblin received a ball from sophomore Lindsay McCoy and turned toward goal. The forward entered the right part of the box, dribbled across the goal, and sent a pass to the feet of freshman Bree Thornton. Thornton easily one-timed the ball past the Rambler goalie from eight-yards out for her fourth goal of the season. With the assist, McCoy recorded her first career point.
Freshman Kristin Andrighetto added Mizzou's third goal in the 33th minute after corralling the rebound from Hamblin's saved shot. The goal was Andrighetto's second of the season and proved to be the eventual game-winner.
The game went back and fourth for the first 15 minutes of the second half with neither team capitalizing on good scoring chances. Loyola-Chicago broke through again in the 61st minute when Cynthia Morote-Ariza unleashed a shot from just outside the 18-yard box. The ball clanged off the right post and bounced over the goal line to cut Missouri's advantage to 3-2.
With the game on the line, both goalies stepped up their play in the final thirty minutes. Rambler keeper Emily Peick made diving saves on two Tiger shots from Mo Redmond. In the game's waning minutes, Peick made three point blank saves off shots from Andrighetto and senior Aria Hudetz to keep the Ramblers within striking distance. Forst responded in the 81st minute on a header by Loyola-Chicago's Laura Heidenreich to curb the Rambler's offensive attack and hold on to the 3-2 Tiger victory.
"Loyola came out wanting to win and we were out hustled," said Thornton. "Of course we're happy with the win but today was a good wakeup call for us."
Missouri outshot Loyola-Chicago 29-13 and had a 13-6 shot on goal advantage.
Forst made four saves in goal for the Tigers, including three in the second half.
The Tigers travel to Madison, Wis., for the Wisconsin Invitational this weekend. Mizzou faces host Wisconsin on Friday, Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. and UW-Milwaukee on Sunday, Sept. 17 at 10:30 a.m.