Nov. 16, 2008

Recap |  Box Score

Missouri Head Coach Bryan Blitz

Comments on the Season: "I want to congratulate our seniors for a great season and setting a standard that we will work hard to live up to next year and try to surpass. When all is said and done, this is the winningest senior class and won the Big 12."

On the game going to penalty kicks: "I think anytime you let it go to PKs, it is a coin toss. It went our way in the Big 12 Tournament against Kansas. Today it didn't go our way and that's part of the game. That's the agony of defeat but the height of joy as well."

On momentum of the game: "I think once we got the goal, we had a lot more momentum. We knew we had to push, we had to go for it. I think the first half, our kids were a little tentative. We let Illinois dictate the first half. We knew we wanted to have an opportunity to win, we had to really dictate our style in the second half and I though that we did that."

On Missouri's style of play: "I think that is just our style. Ours is a high risk high reward system, I don't feel sorry, I feel that they were emotionally engaged in overtime."

On the penalty kick shootout rule: "I think you can't control your own destiny even though we always want to try to control our own destiny. But I understand why the rule is there, back when I played they had eight overtimes and people were just walking so there are safety reasons."

Senior Midfielder Mo Redmond

Comments on the Game "It was not our day, luck was not on our side. Once Illinois scored their goal, we had them on their heels. I think they were happy to get a goal on us, but we weren't going down without a fight.""

Comment on penalty kicks "PKs are PKs, nothing is guaranteed. Even if you are an expert PK taker, look at the pros, they miss all the time."

Comment on career "I'm proud to be a part of this team for four years."

Comment on coaching staff "Bryan (Blitz) has done a great job getting the personnel to play the system. When you play it, it is amazing. You produce chances, I mean we had 26 shots on goal. What team can say they produce an average of 20? It is a great system to play when you have the personnel for it. When you play it right, that's what happens."

Junior Goalkeeper Tasha Dittamore

Comments on the Game: "I just felt disappointed because we worked so hard this season. We had chance after chance but things were not falling for us."

On penalty kicks for goalkeepers: "Sometimes a keeper is going to guess right. Keepers are going to make a save, people are going to make a save every once in a while. You are not going to always make every PK. You've got to be there for them in support after something like that."

On the physical nature of the game: "We always play hard, we are always a physical team, and I think Illinois was ready for that."