Sept. 11, 2009

Box Score

AUBURN, Ala. - The No. 25 University of Missouri women's soccer team (4-2-0) earned a 2-1 victory at No. 21 Auburn (2-1-2) at the Auburn Soccer Classic on Friday night. Senior midfielder Meghan Pfeiffer and junior defender Krista Kruse capitalized on corner kicks to score for Missouri and senior goalkeeper Tasha Dittamore made seven saves in the win.

Missouri outshot Auburn 25-11 and started the barrage of shots from the opening kickoff. In the first minute, an MU corner kick from senior striker Kristin Andrighetto nearly put Missouri ahead but Pfeiffer's header bounced off the crossbar and back into play.

Just over ten minutes later, the Andrighetto to Pfeiffer connection was back on display as another Missouri corner kick got Missouri on the board in the 13th minute. Andrighetto's service to the top of the six-yard box was headed inside the far post by Pfeiffer for the eighth goal of her career. The 1-0 lead marked the first time Auburn had trailed this season.

It was another corner kick, one of nine for Missouri in the match, that earned MU the game winner. Senior Michelle Makasini pounced on the free ball at the top of the penalty area and drove a low shot through the box. Kruse redirected the attempt with a crafty flick and it rolled just inside the post for her second goal of the season.

Dittamore turned away seven Auburn shots, making her finest save of the night in the eighth minute. Auburn's Caitlin King collected a loose ball near the penalty spot and fired a shot that forced Dittamore to make a one-handed save, pushing the ball into the goalpost and away from danger.

Auburn found the back of the net though in the 21st minute off a corner kick from sophomore Katy Frierson. Auburn's shot was cleared off the line by Missouri sophomore Kelsey Blincow but the clearance richoted off Auburn midfielder Chelsea Yauch and into the net.

Missouri nearly regained the lead five minutes later on a tremendous individual effort by junior forward Alysha Bonnick. The Ontario, Canada native cut inside the Auburn defense and struck a bending, left-footed shot that had Auburn goalkeeper Amy Howard beat, but the shot clamored off the far post. The woodwork denied Missouri for a third time on the night in the 68th minute as senior midfielder Michelle Makasini launched a shot from 25 yards out only to see it hit the upper corner of the post.

Missouri improves to 2-0-0 on the road this season and will return to action at 9 a.m. on Sunday against another SEC opponent in the top-25 Vanderbilt Commodores.