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Oct. 26, 2006
The Missouri soccer team hits the road for its final game of the season on Friday, Oct. 27 with a 7 p.m. game against the Iowa State Cyclones at the ISU Soccer Complex in Ames, Iowa. With a win, the Tigers (9-9 overall, 1-9 Big 12) will give themselves a winning record for the season.
Live stats will be available at www.cyclones.com.
Last time out
The Tigers went to Texas last weekend and suffered tough losses to two of the Big 12's top three teams. On Friday against No. 14 Texas, Missouri held the Longhorns scoreless for most of the first have before surrendering a goal in the 41st minute.
Despite getting outshot 22-5 in the game, the Tigers played well and almost tied the game on a header by sophomore Kat Tarr but the Texas goalie made the save. Sophomore goalkeeper Mallory Forst made a career-high nine saves in the game.
Mizzou fell behind 3-0 to the 2006 Big 12 Regular Season Champions and No. 7 Texas A&M on Sunday but battled back for a 4-2 final.
Sophomore Mo Redmond put the Tigers on the board in the 69th minute when she headed in a free kick off the foot of sophomore Lindsay McCoy. The goal was the second of the season for Redmond and McCoy earned her second assist on the tally.
In the 86th minute, freshman Kristin Andrighetto notched her team-high sixth goal of the year when she knocked in a shot from the top of the box on an open net. The ball was loose after freshman Breanna Thornton and the Aggie keeper collided and Andrighetto was there to put in the goal.
No Big 12 this year
For only the second time in school history, the Tigers failed to qualify for the 2006 Big 12 Tournament in San Antonio, Texas. Mizzou was mathematically eliminated from the tournament after its 1-0 loss to Texas on Friday night.
Texas A&M claimed the regular season title against the Tigers on Sunday while Oklahoma State will finish third. Texas and Kansas will be the third and fourth seeds, respectively, while Colorado, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Baylor won't find out how they finish until after Friday's games.
Say goodbye
Friday's game against Iowa State marks the final contest in a Mizzou uniform for this year's senior class. This year's senior class includes midfielders Aria Hudetz and Elyse Nikonchuk and defenders Lauren Grice and Meggie Malm close out their careers . The game is fitting for Des Moines, Iowa native Malm because she will finish hear career in front of plenty of friends and family
Soccer great now MU Hall of Famer
Former Tiger great Nikki Thole was selected to the University of Missouri Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2006. Thole, the most decorated player in program history, is the first Tiger soccer player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. The All-American tops the Mizzou recordbooks in a number of categories, including points (155) and goals (61).
The induction dinner will be held at 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 12 at the Courtyard by Marriott.
Tigers catch the injury bug
After a torrid start to the season, Missouri had trouble with the second half of the schedule due in large part to a flurry of injuries. The loss of sophomore Ashley Hamblin to an ACL tear in the game agaisnt Nebraska was the biggest blow, as Hamblin was forced to miss the final 10 games of the season. Before her injury, Hamblin led the team with five goals and five assists and was named the SoccerTimes.com National Player of the Week on Aug. 30.
Offense by committee
Before the season started, no one was sure who would carry the offensive load. With the season almost over, the answer is simple: everyone. 10 different Tigers have scored so far and six players have at least three goals. The statistic is especially important becuase Ashley Hamblin, the Tigers' leading scorer will miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury. Last season, only four Tigers scored at least three goals all year.
Let's get it started
In Mizzou's 18 games this year, the Tigers are a perfect 8-0 when the squad scores first. Missouri tallied wins over Iowa, Illinois, Northwestern, Minnesota, Northwestern State and Loyola-Chicago and Colorado when the team found the back of the net first. Mizzou's only come from behind win so far was a 3-2 overtime victory against Illinois State.
Second half's the charm
Opponents have held Mizzou scoreless in the second half six times this season but all those games had similar results -- Tiger losses. Missouri could not convert in its scoring chances in the final 45 minutes against UW-Milwaukee, Nebraska, Texas Tech or Baylor, Kansas or Texas as the squad lost all four games.
The only two games Mizzou scored in the second half and still lost were Oklahoma and Texas A&M. In each of those two games, the Tigers scored two second half goals but could not pull out wins.
Quick goal
Sophomore Janelle Cordia's goal 44 seconds into Mizzou's 3-0 win over Northwestern State on Sept. 8 was the fastest goal scored in Missouri history. The previous record was 1:17, which former Tigers Amber Swinehart and Sarah Sallee both accomplished. Sallee set the previous record against Illinois on Sept. 12, 1999 while Swinehart repeated the feat against Oklahoma State on Oct. 14, 2002.
Shutout streak halted
The Tigers began the 2006 campaign with consecutive shutouts over Iowa, Illinois, Northwestern, Minnesota and Northwestern State before yielding two goals to Loyola-Chicago on Sunday, Sept. 10. The five consecutive shutouts set a new Tiger record.
Scouting Iowa State
With a 6-13 overall record and a 2-7 mark in league play, the Iowa State Cyclones failed to qualify for the 2006 Big 12 Tournament. The Cyclones picked up conference wins against Nebraska and Texas Tech, highlighted by the 3-2 overtime victory over the huskers. Missouri's travel partner for the season, Iowa State also played Texas and Texas A&M last weekend and suffered 4-1 and 7-0 losses, respectively.
Brittanie Waddell paces the Cyclones with 11 points on five goals and one assist this season. Lauren Odino is second on the squad with seven points on three goals and an assist while Leslie Hill has six points on two goals and two assists.
Goalie Ann Gleason has played every minute in goal for Iowa State this season and posts a 2.26 goals against average and a .707 save percentage.
Series Record: MU leads 7-3-1.
Last Meeting: MU 1, ISU 1 (2OT) (2005)
Tigers honored by Big 12
Freshman Kristin Andrighetto was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week on Tuesday, thanks to her game-winning goal against Wisconsin on Sept. 15. Andrighetto is the second Tiger this season to earn a Big 12 honor, after sophomore Ashley Hamblin was the Offensive Player of the Week on Aug. 29.
Hamblin garners national attention
Ashley Hamblin turned a lot of heads around the county after her three goal, two assist opening weekend against Iowa and No. 13 Illinois. For her effort, Hamblin was named the SoccerTimes.com National Player of the Week and earned spots on the Soccer Buzz Elite and Soccer American National teams of the week. Additionally, the Big 12 chose her as its Offensive Player of the Week.
Wagner named to national team of the week
Not to be outdone, freshman Crystal Wagner was named to the SoccerBuzz Elite Team of the Week last week for her help in Mizzou's shutout victories over Northwestern (4-0) and Minnesota (1-0). Wagner was a part of the Tiger defense that tied and eventually broke the team record for consecutive shutouts (five).
Award time
Next week marks the announcement of different end of season awards and teams in college soccer. The All-Big 12 teams will be annoucned on Monday, Oct. 30 while the Academic All-Big 12 teams will be released on Tuesday, Oct. 31. In addition to the Big 12 awards, the College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-District teams will be announced on Thursday, Nov. 2.
Mark your calendars
The Missouri soccer team will hold its annual banquet on December 9, 2006 in the Clinton Club of Mizzou Arena. Festivities will start at 6:30 p.m. while the silent auction will begin at 5:45 p.m.