Nov. 12, 2007

NCAA Bracket

http://www.ncaasports.com/soccer/womens/brackets/viewable/straight64_dyn/2007/DI

Columbia, Mo. -

The University of Missouri women's soccer team (13-7-0) has been selected to the 2007 NCAA Women's Soccer Championship, it was announced by the NCAA Monday. The Tigers will welcome the University of Southern California (14-3-2), Southeast Missouri State University (12-2-3) and Creighton University (11-7-2) to Columbia for the first and second rounds Nov. 16 and 18, respectively.

"We are humbled and excited to be selected," Tiger Head Coach Bryan Blitz said. "It is a tribute to our team's sacrifice and hard work. It is a great regional. There are four great teams. Southeast Missouri being Ohio Valley Conference Champions...they are the team to beat, they are conference champions, and we look forward to see how we stand up against them."

Mizzou will play Southeast Missouri State Friday (Nov. 16), at 7 p.m. while one of the tournament's four No. 2 seeds, Southern California, will face Creighton at 4 p.m.. The winners of the two first round games will play Sunday (Nov. 18) at 1 p.m.

The Tigers are making their third different NCAA Championship appearance, and will also host the first and second rounds for the third time in program history.

The 2007 Tigers finished tied for third in the Big 12 Conference, with a 6-4 league record. Their six wins tied a program record, held by the 1999 Mizzou team, which made Mizzou's first NCAA Tournament appearance. The Tigers lost to Marquette in the first round in 1999.

The 2003 Tigers went 1-1 in the Championship, beating Eastern Illinois in the first round for Mizzou's only tournament victory.

This season, the Tigers defeated three ranked teams; then-No. 4 Texas A&M (Sept. 28), then-No. 19 California (Sept. 21) and then-No. 20 Illinois, 3-1, (Aug. 31). Mizzou also defeated Texas Tech twice and Colorado (Oct. 21). They were 33rd in the last released RPI.

Stay with MUTigers.com for more NCAA Championship coverage throughout the week.