Dec. 26, 2007
Columbia, Mo. - The Missouri women's soccer team enjoyed one of its best seasons in program history in 2007. From big home wins, to a No. 5 national ranking, a third trip to the NCAA tournament and many individual awards, the Tigers have many reasons to be proud of their season.
Mizzou started play unranked in the national polls, but the preseason poll would be the only week the Tigers would go unnoticed, as they grabbed the attention of voters with their season-opening win over then-No. 20 Illinois in Champaign, Ill. Naperville, Ill., native Michelle Collins led the Tigers in their first big win, scoring two goals on the night. She added another goal in their win over Western Michigan in Columbia.
Collins would go on to have a great sophomore season, and at its conclusion, she was one of four Tigers to earn National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas All-Central Region honors.
Collins was not the only forward to produce for Mizzou throughout the 2007 season, however. Big 12 Rookie of the Year, freshman Alysha Bonnick, earned NSCAA/adidas and Soccer Buzz All-Central Region honors. As the season rolled forward, she was the next Tiger to have a big weekend, as she earned six points during the second week of the season. In Mizzou's 2-0 victory over Iowa, Bonnick dished out two assists. In the next game against Eastern Illinois, she added two goals of her own in Mizzou's 3-0 win.
The Tigers started the season 4-0, and jumped from being unranked to the 20th-ranked team in America. Two of those wins were away from Walton Stadium, which pleased 2007 Big 12 Coach of the Year Bryan Blitz.
"Well it's always nice to win anytime on the road," Blitz said. "But we always concentrated more on how we finish than the start of the season."
The Tigers took the season's next step to Palo Alto, Calif., to compete in the Stanford Invitational. Despite playing two top teams tough, Mizzou fell to then-No. 1 Stanford and then-No. 3 Santa Clara, losing by one goal in each game.
"Well we had many chances to win both those games," Blitz said. "And I think that gave us confidence for the rest of the season."
Mizzou came back to Columbia after their two classic games, and used that confidence to win their next six matches against tough teams.
The Tigers focused and played their hearts out when they faced their next big obstacles on the schedule. The first was then-No. 19 Cal, who came into Columbia with a 5-1 record. The Tigers dominated the game, earning a 4-0 shutout only a day after learning about the tragic loss of former Mizzou soccer player Meggie Malm. Malm, who played with the Tigers from 2003 to 2006, passed away due to injuries she suffered in an automobile accident in her home state of Iowa.
The Tigers won their next five games after defeating Cal, including perhaps Mizzou's biggest home win ever, a double-overtime classic over then-No. 4 Texas A&M in front of the third-largest crowd at Walton Stadium. More than 1,500 fans watched Tiger freshman Kari Adam score two goals during regulation to keep Mizzou in the game. And in the second overtime period, Mo Redmond sent a pass from the midfield up to Kristin Andrighetto, who put it into the net to give the Tigers the upset victory.
The game-winning assist and goal was perhaps one of the best plays of the year for the Tigers, and it helped them ascend to record-breaking heights. It also helped shine the spotlight on Redmond and Andrighetto.
Both players continued to perform well throughout the season, as Redmond dished out five game-winning assists on the year, and Andrighetto finished with 14 goals.
Andrighetto, the only Tiger to make the All-Big 12 first team, also made the Soccer Buzz All-America fourth team. Adding to that, she earned NSCAA/adidas honors as she was selected to the All-Central Region second team. Redmond made the All-Big 12 second team, and the NSCAA/adidas and Soccer Buzz All-Central Region third teams.
The Tigers had even more magic in them when they went on the road only two days after their thrilling victory over Texas A&M. Mizzou won that next game, 4-2, against Baylor in Waco, Texas, thanks in part to defender Kat Tarr's two goals. Tarr, a 2007 All-Big 12 second team selection, scored Mizzou's first and fourth goals to keep the momentum going after the win against Texas A&M.
On Oct. 8, after a shutout victory against Texas Tech, the Tigers rose to fifth in the Soccer America Women's Top 25 Poll, Mizzou's highest national ranking ever.
The Tigers continued their winning ways in the Big 12, winning three more games in the regular season, over Oklahoma, Colorado and Nebraska, to earn six total league wins. Mizzou finished tied for third place, tying the 1999 team's finish for the best in program history.
After going 1-1 in the Big 12 Championship, Mizzou's successful season was recognized by the NCAA, as the Tigers were selected to the NCAA Championship for the third time in their history. Mizzou hosted the first and second rounds, also for the third time, welcoming eventual NCAA Champion USC, as well as Southeast Missouri and Creighton, to Walton Stadium.
The Tigers tied Southeast Missouri 1-1, in the first round, and advanced to the second round on penalty kicks. They faced the Women of Troy in the second round, and battled tough against one of the best teams in the country. The Tigers kept USC out of the net until the 105th minute, when the Trojans scored on a header off a throw-in, escaping Columbia with a 1-0 win.
Despite the loss, the tournament appearance was a positive sign for Blitz's Tigers, who finished the season with a 13-8-1 record.
"That is always one of our many goals and steps on the way to winning a National Championship, which is another one of our goals," Blitz said about playing in the NCAA tournament. "I think getting to the second round and losing in double overtime on a diving header will give us the confidence to again move toward winning a National Championship."
The 2007 Tigers found success by playing tough defense and exciting offense. In fact, they were the best Mizzou team ever when it came to outscoring their opponents. The Tigers recorded a program record goal differential of 21 goals, scoring 53 goals, while only giving up 32 on the season.
A big key to that stat was the low number of goals the Tiger defense allowed. Defenders Lindsay McCoy and Crystal Wagner started all 22 games, and Tarr played the second-most minutes on the team. In the midfield, Katya Hessel, an All-Newcomer Team selection both in the Big 12 and the Soccer Buzz Central Region, joined Redmond, Janelle Cordia and Meghan Pfeiffer, an All-Big 12 second team performer.
Mizzou used two goalkeepers to keep the ball out of the net. Sophomore transfer Tasha Dittamore, who was named to the All-Big 12 Newcomer team, and junior Mallory Forst, who earned seven wins. Backup goalkeeper Emily Zaler gained valuable experience in practice and looks to help Mizzou in the future.
It seemed the Tigers had no trouble putting the ball in the goal, as Mizzou's top three scorers; Andrighetto, Collins and Bonnick, combined to score 37. Adam, Forst, Dittamore and Ashley Hamblin also helped in the forward position.
Freshmen Krista Kruse, Caitlin Linas and Kelsey Stokes earned valuable experience this season, playing important roles in crucial games. They will be ready to help the Tigers again in 2008.
Two Tiger players, freshman Brittany Hopkins, and sophomore Bree Thornton suffered knee injuries and are working hard to get back for the 2008 season.
"This season we moved our program to one of the elite in the country with our top-five ranking and third place finish in the Big 12," Blitz said. "But we have to sustain the success going forward, which is a hallmark of an elite team, which with our players continued hard work ethic is certainly within our reach."
The Tigers, who expect to return everyone from the 2007 team, will work hard in the offseason as they try to improve on their succesful 2007 campaign.