Sept. 22, 2011
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Tigers open Big 12 Conference action on the road this weekend as Mizzou travels to face Texas Tech and No. 2/3 Oklahoma State. Missouri opens league play on Friday, Sept. 23 with a 7 p.m. match against the Red Raiders. The Tigers then travel to Stillwater, Okla., for a 1 p.m. game against the Cowgirls on Sunday, Sept. 25.
UP NEXT
Mizzou returns home to Walton Stadium next weekend for a pair of conference matchups. The Tigers host No. 24 Texas A&M at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 30 and Texas at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 2.
MIZZOU SPLITS GAMES WITH FLORIDA, UMKC
Missouri went 1-1 last weekend with a 2-0 loss to No. 8 Florida and a 3-0 victory over UMKC.
Against No. 8 Florida on Sept. 16, Missouri had great chance early. In the eighth minute, sophomores Danielle Nottingham and Alyssa Diggs both had great opportunities to put Mizzou ahead but could not convert.
Florida got on the board in the 43rd minute when Annie Speese placed a shot past MU goalie McKenzie Sauerwein and into the net. The Gators added an insurance goal in the 86th minute as Speese notched her second tally of the match.
Two days later, MU posted a 3-0 win over UMKC to mark the sixth shutout of the season for the Mizzou defense. Senior Kelsey Blincow and sophomores Alyssa Diggs and Dominique Richardson recorded goals for the Tigers, while Diggs and freshman Abi Raymer notched assists.
MISSOURI DEFENSE WITH SIX SHUTOUTS SO FAR THIS SEASON
MU's 3-0 shutout of UMKC on Sunday marked the team's sixth shutout of the season, which is tied for second in the Big 12. The mark is also tied for the second-most shutouts in a season at MU. The 2008 squad set the program record of 12 shutouts but this year's team is tied with 2009, 2007, 2006, 2005 and 2002 for second on the list with six.
Goalkeeper McKenzie Sauerwein has four of the shutouts while she split the other two with Caroline Stanley. Sauerwein, Stanley and the backline of senior Mallory Stipetich and juniors Jessica Greer and Allison Hu has been stellar all season, allowing just 0.7 goals per game.
TIGERS TIE CONSECUTIVE WINS RECORD
The Tigers reeled off seven straight wins sandwiched between a 2-1 loss at San Diego in the season opener and a 2-0 loss to No. 8 Florida on Sept. 16. The mark tied the program record for consecutive wins set during the 2006 season. During that year, Missouri posted seven consecutive wins from Aug. 25 - Sept. 15.
MIZZOU TIES BEST RECORD THROUGH 10 GAMES
The Tigers have a 8-2 record 10 games into this season, which ties the program's record for wins (eight) and winning percentage (.800) through 10 games. Mizzou has done this despite playing a difficult non-conference schedule that included games against three teams that were ranked at some point this season.
The 8-2 start ties the records by the 2006 and 2007 squads.
TIGERS CAN SET NON-CONFERENCE WINNING PERCENTAGE RECORD
Through 10 non-conference games so far this season, the Tigers have a record of 8-2 for a .800 winning percentage. With one more non-conference game on the schedule, a match against SIU-Edwardsville on Oct. 7, Missouri has a chance to get the program record for winning percentage against non-league teams.
Right now the 2007's 8-1 mark against non-conference squads stands as the leader with a winning percentage of .889. If the Tigers were to defeat SIUE on Oct. 7, Mizzou would have a winning percentage of .909, thanks to a record of 9-2.
SCOUTING TEXAS TECH
Texas Tech has a 5-2 record so far this season but has a 2-0-1 record in its last three games. The Tigers and Red Raiders have three common opponents, as Texas Tech fell 3-0 to Florida, defeated Arizona State 5-0 and tied Arizona 0-0.
Junior Dawn Ward and senior Madison Terry pace the Red Raiders with five points apiece on two goals an an assist. Sophomore Victoria Esson has seen the bulk of the minutes in goal and has a .800 save percentage and a 0.91 goals against average.
SCOUTING OKLAHOMA STATE
Oklahoma State sports a perfect 11-0 record so far this season and is ranked No. 2 in the nation by the NSCAA and No. 3 by Soccer America and Soccer Times.
Senior Krista Lopez leads the Cowgirls with seven goals and an assist for 15 points on the season. Sophomore Taylor Mathews is second with 11 points on four goals and three assists.
SAUERWEIN AND STIPETICH EARN WEEKLY HONORS
Senior Mallory Stipetich and redshirt freshman McKenzie Sauerwein were honored for their play Sept. 9-11 with weekly awards. Stipetich was named to TopDrawerSoccer.com's Women's College Team of the Week while Sauerwein received Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors and a spot on Soccer America's Team of the Week.
Stipetich earned TopDrawerSoccer.com honors for her play against Arizona and Arizona State. The captain helped the Tigers tournament title as Missouri defeated both the Wildcats and Sun Devils 1-0.
She has been an anchor for a Missouri defense that has five shutouts on the season. Stipetich has started every game this season at center back for the Tigers, playing all but 12 possible minutes.
Sauerwein played all 180 minutes in goal for Mizzou over the weekend and was credited with both shutouts, her second and third of the season. She recorded a career high seven saves against Arizona on Sept. 9 and followed that up with a five save performance against Arizona State on Sept. 11.
FOUR TIGERS NAMED TO ALL-TOURNEY TEAM
Four Mizzou players were named to the Sun Devil Classic All-Tournament Team following their play against Arizona and Arizona State last weekend.
Sophomore Dominique Richardson earned MVP honors and was joined on the team by senior Mallory Stipetich, redshirt freshman McKenzie Sauerwein and freshman Abi Raymer.