Aug. 31, 2007

Box Score

Champaign, Ill. - The University of Missouri women's soccer team battled back from an early 1-0 hole to upset the 20th-ranked Illini, 3-1, on a cool late-August night in Champaign, Ill. Naperville, Ill., native Michelle Collins took control of the game in the second half, scoring two goals after Kristin Andrighetto tied the game at 1-1. The Tigers (1-0, 0-0 Big 12) have now upset the Illini (0-1, 0-0 Big Ten) early in the season two years in a row and own a 4-2 lead in the all-time series.

Mizzou has now won ten games in a row against Big Ten opponents, dating back to 2004.

Illinois was ranked 20th in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll, 17th in Soccer Buzz, 18th in Soccer America and as high as 13th in the SoccerTimes.com poll. As in the second exhibition game last Sunday, Aug. 26, against Saint Louis, Mizzou fought back from a 1-0 hole. And tonight, the Tigers were proud of their ability to keep on the attack when they were down.

"The team showed tremendous heart by battling back after the early deficit," Tiger Head Coach Bryan Blitz said, "it is a great improvement from last year."

Illinois wasted no time once the game, and season, started, scoring their first goal of the year in the third minute. Illini midfielder Marti Desjarlais passed the ball ahead to Jessica Levitt on the right side of the box, who headed it to Ella Masar right in front of the net. Masar, last season's Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, kicked it past Mizzou goalkeeper Tasha Dittamore for an early Illini lead.

The Tigers did not give up after the goal, however, as they created many chances offensively, while limiting the Illini scoring opportunities. They tied the Illini with five second half shots apiece after the score.

Mizzou then came out aggressive in the second half, eventually out-shooting Illinois, 16-5, and finishing with a 21-11 advantage in the game.

Although it took a while for Mizzou to score, once they started, they scored three times, and kept the Illini out of the net.

The Tigers got on the board in the 59th minute when Meghan Pfeiffer kicked her shot hard off the crossbar from about 30 yards out. Last year's team leader in goals, Kristin Andrighetto, gathered the rebound and kicked it past Illinois goalkeeper Lindsey Carstens to tie the game at 1. Pfeiffer was credited with the assist on the goal.

A little more than three minutes after Andrighetto's goal, Collins took over offensively. She took a pass from Bree Thornton down the left sideline and shot it from about 20 yards out. Her shot sailed just under the crossbar on the upper right corner of the goal, giving the Tigers a 2-1 lead.

Collins scored her second goal of the night about four minutes after her first, in the 66th minute. Freshman Alyssa Bonnick shot the ball off the left post from inside the right side of the box, and Collins corralled the rebound and shot it past Carstens, taking the score to 3-1. Bonnick was credited with an assist on the goal.

The Tiger defense secured the game from there, contesting every Illini chance, keeping them to just three total shots on goal. Dittamore, a native of Granite City, Ill., stopped two shots after giving up the early goal.

This is the second time in as many years that the Tigers upset a ranked Illinois team in the beginning of the season. Last year in Columbia, Mizzou upset then-No. 13 Illinois, 5-0, behind two goals and an assist from forward Ashley Hamblin. The win was a big one for the Tigers in their early season winning streak, as it gave them a 2-0 record and a lot of momentum.

The Tigers will head back to Columbia Saturday for Sunday's home opener against Western Michigan University. The game will start at 1 p.m. at Walton Stadium in the Sports Park at Mizzou.