Soccer to face Baylor, Oklahoma
10/15/2009 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
Oct. 15, 2009
TIGERS HEAD SOUTH FOR BIG 12 MATCHUPS
After a successful home stand this past weekend, the University of Missouri women's soccer team (8-4-3, 3-0-2) is headed back to Texas for a showdown in Waco against the Baylor Bears (6-3-4, 2-2-2) on Friday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. After the game, the Tigers will travel to Norman, Okla., for a match against the Oklahoma Sooners (7-7-1, 2-4-0) on Sunday, Oct. 18, at 1 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT
On Friday, Oct. 11, the Tigers needed some overtime magic to defeat the Big 12 leading Colorado Buffaloes 1-0 at Walton Stadium. The Tigers spent the majority of the first half controlling the ball through the midfield and maintaining possession on Colorado's side of the field. Their best chance of the half came in the 38th minute when Kari Adam struck a first-time shot on the Colorado net, forcing a sprawling save from goalkeeper Kara Linder. The teams would go into halftime level at 0-0. In the 56th minute, junior Alysha Bonnick had a chance to put the Tigers ahead when she found herself on a breakaway in Colorado territory. Bonnick put her shot on net, but Linder pushed the ball away to preserve the score. The Tigers had 22 total shots in regulation, but couldn't find the game winner in regulation as Missouri headed to overtime for the third straight game. Missouri didn't wait long to lock up victory over the Buffaloes, however, as Michelle Collins charged on a loose ball on the right side of the Colorado box before sneaking a low cross to Bonnick who tapped in the game-winner only 34 seconds into the first overtime period.
The following Sunday, Oct. 13, the Tiger defense stepped up and helped keep Missouri undefeated in the Big 12 in their 2-1 defeat of Texas Tech. Senior goalkeeper Tasha Dittamore made a handful of great stops early in the game, tipping a Katie Hinds shot just over the crossbar in the seventh minute and diving at a Taylor Lytle charge in the box in the 11th minute. The Tigers would get on the board in the 43rd minute, when freshman Haley Krentz sent in a cross from the right sideline to a charging Jessica Greer, who headed home the opening goal to make the score 1-0 just before halftime. The Red Raiders would equalize in the 60th minute, when Dawn Ward got a foot on a botched clearance right in front of the Missouri net. The Tigers, however, would net the game winner just five minutes later when junior Krista Kruse got a head on a Kari Adam corner kick. Missouri would endure a slew of foul calls late in the game, but would hold on to win 2-1.
UP NEXT
After the brief road trip, the Tigers return to Columbia to play in their final two home games of the regular season. Missouri will face Iowa State on Friday, Oct. 23 at 6:30 p.m. and Nebraska on Sunday, Oct. 25 at 1 p.m. The following weekend, the Tigers will wrap up the regular season with a match at Kansas on Friday, Oct. 30, at 3 p.m.
TIGERS LOOKING TO ACHIEVE PROGRAM MILESTONE THIS WEEKEND
With their next victory, the Missouri women's soccer program will have earned its 150th victory. The victory will also mark Head Coach Bryan Blitz's 150th win with the Tigers, as he has been the programs only head coach since its inception in 1996. Blitz is currently 149-123-15 in his thirteen years with Missouri.
GETTING TO KNOW BAYLOR
The Baylor Bears (6-3-4, 2-2-2) are undefeated in their last three Big 12 games heading into their matchup with Missouri. The Bears defeated Colorado 2-1 before drawing at Nebraska 1-1, and beat Iowa State 3-1 in their most recent game.
Junior Lotto Smith currently leads the team with 15 points, amassing seven goals and an assist in 2009. Smith scored three times for the Bears this past weekend, netting the team's only goal against Nebraska and scoring twice with her head against Iowa State. Freshman Hannah Gilmore is second in total points with 10, and has three goals and four assists to her credit this season.
Sophomore goalkeeper Gianna Quintana has allowed only seven goals this season, while compiling a 4-2-3 record that includes two shutouts. She has stopped 36 shots so far this season, while maintaining a 0.65 goals against average. Baylor Head Coach Marci Jobson is 11-13-7 and currently in her second season at the helm. Missouri currently leads the all-time series between the two teams with a record 9-6-0.
GETTING TO KNOW OKLAHOMA
The Oklahoma Sooners (7-7-1, 2-4-0) are coming off a rough stretch in conference play, compiling a 1-3-0 record in their last four games. Their lone victory in that span came against Iowa State last Friday, Oct. 11, where they won 1-0. In their most recent outing, the Sooners fell to Nebraska by a score of 5-2.
Junior Whitney Palmer is one of the top scorers in the Big 12, having notched 30 points in 2009 with 14 goals and two assists. Palmer's two-goal effort against Nebraska helped her move into first place in the Oklahoma record books for single-season goals (14), and she currently sits second in all-time career goals with 28. Freshman Dria Hampton is second on the team in points with ten, scoring three goals and assisting on four others so far this season.
Freshman goalkeeper Kelsey Devonshire has played every minute between the pipes for the Sooners this season, amassing a 7-7-1 record with five shutouts. She has allowed 28 goals so far this season and has made a total of 73 saves. Head Coach Nicole Nelson is currently in her second season with the program, and has a record of 10-22-2 to this point. Missouri leads the all-time series with Oklahoma 7-4-1.
RECORDS TO WATCH IN 2009
Several players are poised to make a move on the Mizzou Soccer record books this season in the career statistical categories. Andrighetto is fourth in game winning goals (nine) and goals (31), and fifth in career points (79). Michelle Collins is tied for sixth in game winning goals (eight), sixth in assists (20), seventh points (70), and eighth in goals (25). Bonnick, as a junior, has become the all-time career leader in game winning goals (13), is seventh in goals (26), and eighth in points (68).
Senior goalkeeper Tasha Dittamore has set herself apart in her career with the Tigers. She is now the all-time career leader in shutouts (15), and currently sits second in wins (30), third goals against (54), runner-up in win percentage (.727), goals against average (1.10), and is fifth in saves (162).
NEW LOOK TIGERS IN 2009
The Tigers return eight starters and 15 of 21 letter winners from their successful 2008 squad, but there are plenty of new faces as the Tigers kick off the 2009 campaign. Missouri signed one of its largest incoming classes in program history with the arrival of nine freshmen and a senior transfer for the 2009 season. Freshmen goalkeeper Jessica Gwin and freshman midfielder Haley Krentz were both named to TopDrawerSoccer's Top 100 Players to Watch, while Michelle Makasini comes to Columbia from LSU after earning TopDrawerSoccer All-American honors as a freshman and sophomore.
All told, the Tigers have a balance of 11 upperclassmen (seven seniors, four juniors) and 16 underclassmen (six sophomores, 10 freshmen) that hail from nine different states and Canada. Additionally, three new coaches will be on the sideline for the Tigers. Shaunna Daugherty, formerly an assistant at Illinois State, and Todd Shulenberger, from Clemson, join the Missouri coaching staff as assistants, while volunteer assistant Danny Graville enters his first season in charge of fitness and conditioning for the team.
MIZZOU SOCCER ONLINE
In addition to the official news, photos, statistics, and more available on mutigers.com, the Missouri soccer program is complementing the team's coverage for all those who follow Mizzou Soccer Online. The supplementary sites include a Twitter account for instant updates on the team, a YouTube channel to post match footage and media coverage, a Facebook Fan Page for news and information, and ThisIsMizzouSoccer.com which features a team blog, podcasts, and much more. The Tigers are excited to continue highlighting their program in the national spotlight via all of these resources and to provide up close and timely coverage of the team for fans, alumni, and recruits.
MU PICKED TO FINISH FIRST IN BIG 12
For the first time in program history, the Tigers were picked to finish first in the Big 12 Soccer Preseason Poll as voted on by the conference's coaches. Missouri and Texas A&M tied atop the league standings in cumulative voting points, with the Tigers receiving four of the 11 first place votes. 2008 Big 12 Championship runner-up Colorado came in third with 76 points, while `08 regular season champions Oklahoma State were tabbed fourth with 68 points. Perennial power Texas finished fifth, followed by Kansas, Nebraska, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Baylor, and Iowa State.
THREE TIGERS NAMED ALL-BIG 12
For the second year in a row, the Preseason All-Big 12 Team featured three Missouri Tigers. Seniors Crystal Wagner, Meghan Pfeiffer, and Andrighetto were all selected to the conference preseason team as voted on by league coaches. The three selections were the second most of any team, trailing only Texas A&M's four honorees. Andrighetto is a two-time All-Big 12 First Team selection and Pfeiffer is a two-time All-Big 12 Second Team selection; both players received the recognitions their sophomore and junior seasons.
BONNICK ON HERMANN WATCH LIST
Junior striker Alysha Bonnick is in consideration for one of the top recognitions in the sport with the NSCAA's announcement of the 2009 Hermann Trophy Watch List. Bonnick is one of 45 players in the country on the Missouri Athletic Club's (MAC) list of potential award winners, and just one of five from the Big 12 conference. The Ontario, Canada native led Missouri in scoring last season with 26 points en route to earning Soccer Buzz All-America fourth team honors and All-Big 12 First Team accolades. Bonnick was named Big 12 Newcomer of the Year in 2007 after recording 32 points on 11 goals and 10 assists, all Missouri freshman records.
So far this season, Bonnick is third on the team in points with ten, notching four goals and two assists in 2009. Against Colorado on Fri, Oct. 9, Bonnick became the program's all-time leader in career game-winning goals (13) with her strike just 34 seconds into the first overtime period.
THREE TIGERS INVITED TO US U-23's
Pfeiffer, Wagner, and Collins all received call-ups to travel to England with the United States U-23 National Team in July for two games against the English U-23 National Team and a match versus the Reading women's club. Only Wagner was able to accept the invitation, and the senior co-captain appeared in all three matches for the USA while abroad. Wagner led a Tigers' defense that set school records in 2008 with 12 shutouts and a 0.80 goals against average, earning Soccer Buzz All-Central region second team and NSCAA/adidas All-Central region third team honors.
NEW LOOK VIDEO BOARD AT WALTON
Mizzou soccer spectators will enjoy a new video board and sound system at Walton Stadium this season. Installed by Daktronics, Inc., the 21 feet by 12 feet, full color display is one of four new state-of-the-art displays to be added to Missouri athletic facilities. The board will be display match statistics, marketing information, and live scores, with video features expected to be added as the season progresses.
