Sept. 16, 2007

Box Score

Stanford, Calif. - The third-ranked Santa Clara Broncos (4-0-1, 0-0-0 West Coast Conference) defeated the 20th-ranked University of Missouri women's soccer team (4-2-0, 0-0-0 Big 12), 2-1, Sunday in the Stanford Invitational in Palo Alto, Calif. Tiger forward Michelle Collins scored her fifth goal of the year in the sixth minute, but it was not enough for the Tigers, who have now lost two games in a row, after No. 1 Stanford won, 3-2, Friday (Sept. 14).

"Well, we're disappointed that we lost another close one out here, but we definitely grew as a team this weekend," Tiger Head Coach Bryan Blitz said. "We saw what we were good at and saw what we need to work on. But I'm proud of our team. We went out west and played a No. 1 and a No. 3 pretty tough. I'm disappointed, but I think we're better for it in the long run."

The Tigers came out aggressive offensively in the first half. They earned the game's first corner kick in the fourth minute. Lindsay McCoy served it towards the goal but it landed on top of the net. Although the kick did not result in a scoring chance, it certainly set the offensive tone early.

The Tigers scored the first goal of the game just minutes after that, at the 5:55 mark when Tiger forward Kristin Andrighetto, who had possession on top of the box, kicked it ahead into an open space about 10 yards out. Collins sprinted through two Bronco defenders to the ball. She was the first to it, and she gathered it and put it past Meagan McCray for her fifth goal of the season.

After the goal, Santa Clara took control of the game, offensively, out-shooting the Tigers, 6-2, for the remainder of the half.

The Broncos' first good chance came in the 27th minute when Chioma Igwe took a cross from a corner kick and headed it off the crossbar. The Tiger defense eventually cleared the rebound to preserve the 1-0 lead.

In the 33rd minute, Kiki Bosio, who made last week's Soccer America and TopDrawerSoccer.com teams of the week, passed it ahead to Courtney Lewis on the right side of the box. Lewis got it at about 12 yards out and shot it just to the right of Tiger goalkeeper Mallory Forst. Forst dove and got a hand on it, but it snuck through, tying the game at 1-1.

Each team had their chances in the second half, as Mizzou took three shots, including one good chance. But Santa Clara got off five shots in the half, including the game-winner in the 73rd minute.

With a little more than 22 minutes remaining, and the score tied at 1-1, Bronco forward Tina Estrada gathered a loose ball about 25 yards out on the right side. She sent the ball towards the goal, and it hit off the post and went in, giving Santa Clara a 2-1 lead.

The Tigers' best chance to tie it up came with about 12 minutes left in the game, when Andrighetto passed it to Collins who was about 12 yards out on the right side. Collins shot it hard towards the center of the goal, but McCray got both hands on it and deflected it high for her second save of the game.

Game Notes:

Corners:

MU: 2

SCU: 5

Shots:

MU: 6

SCU: 12

Andrighetto's assist gives her 12 points on the season

Injury Notes

Goalkeeper Tasha Dittamore sat out Sunday's game because of an injury she suffered in Friday night's game against Stanford.

Tiger freshman forward Krista Kruse broke her nose in last Sunday's game against Western Michigan and did not make the trip with the team.

Up Next:

Mizzou will have a big weekend at home next Friday (Sept. 21) and Sunday (Sept. 23) as they play No. 12 California Friday and TCU Sunday. The weekend will be the Tigers' final tune-up before the start of conference season the following weekend.