March 7, 2010

(Overland Park, Kan.) - An evenly matched contest between the University of Missouri and the University of Minnesota ended in a 0-0 draw Sunday at the Overland Park Soccer Complex. Missouri (1-0-1) used a strong defensive effort to shutout a Gophers squad (0-0-1) that returned 16 players and all 11 starters from their 12-5-3 fall season.

Freshman goalkeeper Jess Gwin, making her second start as a Tiger, recorded two saves for her first shutout of the spring season. The Missouri backline of Krista Kruse, Jessica Greer, and Kendra Collins anchored the Tigers' defense and limited the Gophers to 11 shots in the game.

Missouri's best scoring chance of the afternoon came in the 21st minute as freshman forward Haley Krentz threaded a pass between Minnesota defenders to sophomore striker Jessie Crabtree. The striker's shot from inside the penalty area was partially deflected at the last moment by a recovering Gopher defender and went narrowly over the crossbar.

The Gophers, coached by former Missouri assistant Mikki Denney Wright (2001-03), threatened to strike in the 78th minute as junior Katie Bethke's looping shot from outside the penalty area went off the crossbar and out of play.

With just over a minute remaining, junior forward Kari Adam nearly provided a dramatic finish with a strong shot from the right side of the 18-yard box, but the Gopher goalkeeper made a diving save to her right to push away the attempt.

The match, part of the 2010 Border Battle tournament played at the new $36 million soccer complex, marked the third straight spring that Missouri and Minnesota have played in Kansas City, with the Tigers emerging victorious in each of the prior two meetings.

The Tigers will next face St. Louis Athletica of Women's Professional Soccer at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 20th on the University of Missouri campus.