Sept. 21, 2007

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Columbia, Mo. - The 20th-ranked University of Missouri women's soccer team (5-2, 0-0 Big 12) defeated 19th-ranked Cal (5-2, 0-0 Pac-10), 4-0, Friday night (Sept. 21) at Walton Stadium. Tiger freshman forward Alysha Bonnick scored two goals on the night, bringing her season total to five. Sophomores Michelle Collins and Kristin Andrighetto each scored one, keeping pace with each other for the team lead in goals (6).

Mizzou played the game just one day after learning about the death of former Tiger Meggie Malm. Malm passed away from injuries suffered in a car accident in her home state of Iowa Thursday (Sept. 20). She was 22 years old. Prior to Friday night's game, the team held a moment of silence in her memory.

Friday night, the Tigers were `Playing for Pink' to raise money for the fight against breast cancer. The night featured a jersey raffle, which made about $900, a free t-shirt giveaway for the first 100 fans and a post-game autograph session. The team also literally played in pink, as they wore pink jerseys and pink socks.

After the Tigers' fifth win of the season, Mizzou Head Coach Bryan Blitz summed up the tragic loss and the `Playing for Pink' event.

"I think it was important for our team to take this cause (breast cancer) on. They showed a lot of maturity while putting on this event and I'm very proud of them. They learned a lot and grew a lot as human beings. Soccer wise, (I'm proud of) the effort they put because of the event and the death of Meg. We did this because everyone here, as well as Meg, were fighters. We wanted to provide some hope by our efforts."

Mizzou out-performed Cal in the game, keeping the pressure on the Bears right from the beginning. The Tigers took the early lead in the 18th minute, when Collins hit a beautiful cross to Bonnick, who was camped out in front of the net. Bonnick received the pass and put it past Cal's goalkeeper, Gina Pellegrini, from about three yards out. That was only the third goal Pellegrini, and the Bears, had given up all year. The Bears would not score another goal, meaning Bonnick's fourth of the year was her third game-winning goal of the season.

The Mizzou defense came to play Friday. They kept the ball out of their own end most of the night, including after the offense's first goal, as Cal got two shots off between the goal and halftime. One of those shots was perhaps their best chance of the night. A Kelly Menachof shot in the 38th minute, the Golden Bears' only shot on goal in the game, was saved by Forst, her only save of the night.

Mizzou would take their 1-0 lead into halftime, and come out with even more offensive firepower in the second half. After their three goals tonight in the second frame, the Tigers are now outscoring their opponents, 14-3, in the second period this season.

The Tigers' second goal of the night, and first of the second half, came about 11 minutes into the period, when Andrighetto served a ball ahead towards the goal, where Collins just touched it to guide it to the back of the net, for her sixth goal of the year. Her six goals ties Andrighetto's team-high from 2006. Coincidentally, with Andrighetto's late goal in Friday night's win, the two are tied for the current team lead, with six.

The scoring would not stop for Mizzou, who got on the board again in the 78th minute, as Forst took a free kick from about mid-field. The serve sailed above the defenders and found Bonnick, who sprinted towards the goal, and guided it past Pellegrini for her second of the night, and fifth of the year.

Andrighetto added one more to Mizzou's total in the 81st minute, as she took a pass from Bonnick, made a beautiful spin move, and scored from the right side of the box, about 12 yards from the front of the net.

The offense's four-goal output did not surprise Blitz.

"Cal only had given up two goals prior to our game. I think we're a prolific goal scoring team," Blitz said. "I don't believe they (Cal) have seen a team at this point with such attacking points... I definitely felt we were capable of this."

The Tigers will try to keep up the offensive attack when they host TCU Sunday (Sept. 23) in their last non-conference contest before Big 12 play starts next Friday (Sept. 28) against fourth-ranked Texas A&M. Fans can see Sunday's game against TCU for only $1. The action starts at 1 p.m.

Notes:

The Tiger defense was credited with its third shutout of the season.

This is the sixth career shutout for Forst, who posted five last season.

The Mizzou back three, Kat Tarr, Lindsay McCoy and Crystal Wagner, played most of the game, and held Cal to 11 shots, and only three in the second half.

Bonnick has three game-winning goals this season. The all-time Mizzou record is six. Amber Swineheart knocked in that many in 2005, and Nikki Theole scored six crucial goals in 1999.

Attendance: 815