Nov. 7, 2008

Box Score

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - The No. 15 University of Missouri women's soccer team (14-5-1, 7-3-0) advanced to the Big 12 Championship title game with a dramatic penalty kick shootout against Kansas (12-7-2, 4-5-1) on Friday at Blossom Soccer Complex. Junior Meghan Pfeiffer scored the lone goal in the 1-1 semifinal tie and sophomore Alysha Bonnick netted the fifth and final penalty kick to put the Tigers through to their fourth Big 12 Tournament championship game in program history.

The Tigers will meet fourth-seed Colorado in the title game on Sunday at Noon after the Buffaloes upset top-seeded Oklahoma State in penalty kicks following a 1-1 draw earlier Friday night. The game will be telecast live on Fox Sports Net and re-aired on Fox Soccer Channel.

The Tigers fell behind in the seventh minute on a goal by Kansas' Monica Dolinsky. The junior settled a clearance from Missouri junior defender Crystal Wagner and struck a shot into the top right corner. Dolisnky's team high ninth goal of the season was the earliest goal Missouri has conceded this season and marked only the third time a Tigers opponent has scored first in a match.

The first half proved to be a largely defensive affair, with the Tigers edging Kansas in shots five to four but both sides even on saves (one), corner kicks (one) and fouls (seven). Following the halftime intermission, the Missouri offense came to life as the team pressed forward in search of an equalizer.

Missouri nearly tied it in the 65th minute when senior captain Mo Redmond's corner kick was headed on goal by Pfeiffer. The Jayhawks' Emily Cressy was protecting the far post and in good position to clear the shot off the line.

Six minutes later, Pfeiffer would not be denied as her and Redmond connected on a set piece opportunity. Pfeiffer ran onto the free kick and powered a header past Kansas goalkeeper Julie Hanley and under the crossbar. It is Pfeiffer's third goal of the season and Redmond's fourth assist of the year.

Missouri saw several scoring opportunities go unfinished as the minutes ticked off the clock in regulation. In the 73rd minute, Hanley got a hand on a shot from junior Bree Thornton to push it past the post. Four minutes later, she stopped a Bonnick attempt after Thornton had crossed it to the Tigers' forward inside the penalty area.

Missouri held a 17-3 advantage in shots in the second half en route to outshooting the Jayhawks 25-8 in the contest.

After two scoreless ten-minute overtime periods, the match was decided from the penalty spot. Shooting second in the shootout, Missouri's Kat Tarr, Mallory Forst, Thornton and Bonnick all converted on consecutive kicks against Kansas backup keeper Stephanie Baugh while Mizzou junior goalkeeper Tasha Dittamore made two stops, one against opposing goalkeeper Hanley, to clinch the shootout 4-3. It was the Tigers' first penalty kick shootout since the opening round of the NCAA Tournament last season when the Tigers advanced over Southeast Missouri State.

Missouri kept two streaks alive on the night: maintaining their unbeaten record on Friday nights at 9-0-1 and setting a new school record for scoring in 17 consecutive games. Missouri and Kansas met a week after playing in Columbia, where the Tigers won 6-0 on senior night, and it was only the second time the two rivals had played in Big 12 Tournament. The only other occasion was a Missouri 1-0 double overtime victory in 2001.