| Match | Location | Day/Time (CT) | Media |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | Stanford, Calif. | Friday // 4:30 p.m. PT | Live Video // |
Game Notes: Mizzou |
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Mizzou soccer team (12-6-3) continues NCAA Tournament action on Friday, Nov. 21 when the squad faces the Washington Huskies (13-6-2) in a second round matchup at 4:30 p.m. PT. The winner of Friday's game advances to play either Stanford or Arkansas in the third round on Sunday, Nov. 23.
TIGER TIDBITS
-2014 marks Mizzou's sixth NCAA Tournament bid in program history, joining berths earned in 1999, 2003, 2007, 2008 and 2012.
-The Tigers advanced to the second round for the fourth time in program history with a 3-1 win at Kansas on Sunday, Nov. 16 in Missouri's first-ever road NCAA Tournament game.
-Senior Taylor Grant notched two goals, including the game-winner, and junior Reagan Russell added another as the Tigers took down the Jayhawks.
-The win over No. 19 Kansas marked Mizzou's third win over a ranked foe in 2014, joining wins over No. 14 South Carolina (1-0) and No. 17 Georgia (2-0).
-The Tigers own a 3-3-3 all-time record in the Tournament, while the Huskies are 12-10-2.
-Friday marks the first-ever match between Mizzou and Washington.
-Three Tigers have tallied at least 18 points in 2014, the first time that has happened since 2009. The three Tigers are Grant (20), senior Kaysie Clark (18 points) and Russell (18 points).
-2014 was a year of milestones for Tiger Head Coach Bryan Blitz. He recorded both his 200th career win at Mizzou and his 250th total career win this season. His school record now stands at 207-163-24, while his career head coaching record is 252-208-32.
-Mizzou has gotten big contributions from its freshman class in 2014, as five Tiger newcomers (Kaitlyn Clark, Allie Hess, Jessica Johnson, Alli Magaletta and Savannah Trujillo) have combined to post 35 points on 11 goals and 13 assists.
Last Time Out
Senior Taylor Grant tallied two goals and junior Reagan Russell added another as Mizzou advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a 3-1 win over Kansas on Sunday, Nov. 16 in Lawrence, Kan.
Missouri was on the attack from the first whistle and wasted no time scoring the first goal of the match when junior Reagan Russell sent a long cross from the right side of the field to the far post. Stationed near the post, Grant chested the ball down into the net for a 1-0 Tiger advantage.
Grant stuck again early in the second half for a 2-0 Mizzou advantage in the 51st minute. Senior Kaysie Clark played up a perfect pass to Grant, who ran onto the ball at the top of the box. The Kansas keeper came off her line but Grant took a touch and sent a low shot past the goalkeeper and into the lower left netting.
In the 66th minute with the score 2-1, Russell ran down the right sideline, ran into the box and slotted a low shot from 10-yards out into the far post for a 3-1 Missouri lead.
The Tigers had a 21-16 in shots, including a 10-6 edge in the opening 45 minutes. Missouri also earned 11 corners and did not allow Kansas any corners.
Mizzou in the NCAA Tournament
The 2014 berth marks the sixth NCAA Tournament bid for the Tigers, joining 1999, 2003, 2007, 2008 and 2012. In all, the Tigers have played nine Tournament games, the first eight of which were played at Walton Stadium. Friday's match marks just the second NCAA game away from home for the Tigers, following Sunday's 3-1 win over Kansas in Lawrence, Kan.
The team has an all-time overall NCAA record of 3-3-3.
Mizzou has now advanced to the second round for the fourth time in program history and the first time since 2008. The Tigers are 0-2-1 in second round matches, with two of those going to at least double overtime.
About Washington
The Huskies enter the second round with a 13-6-2 record, which includes a 5-4-2 mark in Pac-12 play. Wahington, ranked No. 24 in the most recent NSCAA/Continental Tire top-25 poll, is coming off a 1-0 win over Rider in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The squad averages 1.48 goals per game, while allowing opponents just 1.29 goals per contest. Senior midfielder Jaclyn Softli paces the Huskies with 21 points on 10 goals and an assist. Redshirt senior midfielder Kate Bennett has added six goals, while freshman forward Kimberly Keever has five.
Redshirt junior goalkeeper Megan Kufeld boasts a 1.16 goals against average and a .755 save percentage in net. She's notched eight shutouts on the year.
Eight SEC Teams Make NCAA Tournament
Mizzou was one of a record-tying eight Southeastern Conference teams to earn a berth in the 2014 NCAA Tournament, joining Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina and Texas A&M. The Aggies earned the league's automatic berth after claiming the SEC Tournament title (joining their regular season crown).
Seven of the eight teams advanced to this Friday's second round. The seven second round teams ties the SEC with the Pac-12 for most among all conferences.
The eight bids ties the league record, set in 2011, and marks the sixth time in the last seven seasons the conference received at least six berths.
Four Tigers Earn All-SEC Honors
More on that Kansas Win
Meeting for the first time since 2011, the Mizzou Tigers posted a 3-1 win over Kansas in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Jayhawks entered the Tournament allowing just 0.70 goals per game, having allowed two goals just two times in 20 matches in 2014.
The Tigers' offense proved up the task, notching three goals, the most Kansas had allowed in a game since No. 6, 2013 against West Virginia.
Missouri's 21 shots and nine shots on goal were also highs for Kansas foes in 2014.
Four members of the Mizzou soccer team earned All-SEC honors in voting conducted by the league's coaches, the conference announced on Nov. 2. Senior Kaysie Clark claimed a spot on the first team for the second consecutive year, juniors Candace Johnson and Reagan Russell earned spots on the second team and freshman Kaitlyn Clark was named to the All-Freshman Team.
Missouri's four honorees ranked third among all schools, trailing just Texas A&M (seven) and Florida (five). South Carolina had three players earn four honors.
The honors marked the first postseason conference awards for both Russell and Kaitlyn Clark, while Johnson was named a member of the SEC All-Freshman Team in 2012. In addition to her two All-SEC first team honors, Kaysie Clark was also a member of the Big 12 All-Newcomer Team in 2011.
Mizzou Outplays SEC Expectations
Mizzou's fourth-place finish in the SEC standings was a full five spots ahead of where the conference coaches voted the Tigers in the preseason poll. In the August poll, Missouri was picked to finish ninth, in a tie with Ole Miss.
Fourth marks Mizzou's highest SEC finish since the team joined the league in 2012. Last season, the Tigers finished ninth, while the team placed fifth in 2012.
Balanced Attack Leads Tigers
Senior Taylor Grant and Kaysie Clark and junior Reagan Russell have combined to post 56 points on 19 goals and 18 assists in 2014. Grant leads the way with 20 points on nine goals and two assists, Russell has tallied 18 points on seven goals and four assists and Clark has added 18 points on three goals and 12 assists.
Those three are now the first trio Tiger teammates to all record at least 18 points in a season since 2009, when Kristin Andrighetto (27), Alysha Bonnick (20) and Michelle Collins (20) accomplished the feat. It also marks the seventh time in program history it has been done, joining 2009, 2008, 2007, 2003, 2002 and 1998.
Grant Regains Scoring Touch
Senior Taylor Grant had a magical start to her senior season, scoring Missouri's first goal goals of the season and tallying six in the team's eight nonconference games. She scored both Tiger goals in a 3-2 loss to West Virginia and a 2-1 overtime win against TCU. Then, Grant notched the game-winners in victories over Montana (4-3 double overtime) and Cal State Northridge (3-1) to earn SEC Offensive Player of the Week honors.
However, Grant could not find the back of the in her first nine SEC games before scoring a big goal in the regular season finale against Arkansas on Oct. 30. She continued the hot start in the NCAA Tournament with two tallies against Kansas to propel the Tigers to the second round.
The Kansas match marked the third time this season Grant scored two goals in game. Her five points in the contest were also a individual best for the 2014 season.
Grant now leads the team with 20 points on nine goals and two assists. The nine goals are the most for a Tiger in a season since Alysha Bonnick tallied nine in 2009, while the 20 points are the most since Bonnick's 21 in 2010.
The Distributor
Senior Kaysie Clark's playmaking ability has been on display all season. Clark has recorded 12 assists in 2014, and, although she was not credited with an assist on Taylor Grant's game-winner against TCU, Clark was the one who found Grant in the box.
Clark's 12 assists rank tied for third on Mizzou's single-season list, and are just two away from tying the program record of 14. Her 23 career assists are also tied for fourth in the career program record book. Additionally, her six game-winning assists this season are a Missouri single-season record.
Overall, Clark, a two-time All-SEC first team selection and a member of the 2011 Big 12 All-Newcomer Team, ranks second on the team with 18 points on three goals and 12 assists.
In her four-year career, she has compiled 53 points on 15 goals and 23 assists. She needs just one more point to enter Mizzou's top-10 career points list.
Sauerwein Set to Break Career Games Started Mark
Already the owner of six Mizzou career program records, redshirt goalkeeper McKenzie Sauerwein should add another to her list on Friday. Sauerwein enters Sunday's match having started 82 games in her Tiger career, tying Dominique Richardson (2010-13) and Dyana Russell (1998-2001) for first in Tiger history. Assuming she starts against Washington, she will hold the record outright. She is the only goalkeeper ranked in the top-10 on the career games started list.
The North Richland, Hills, native currently holds six other career Missouri records, all goalkeeper marks: wins (46), shutouts (21), saves (391), minutes played in goal (7594:10), games played in goal (84) and games started in goal (82).
Russell Coming on Strong
Junior Reagan Russell has been in a zone on the soccer pitch so far this season, a fact that is evident in the statistics. So far in 2014, Russell has tallied seven goals and four assists for 18 points. The Sugar Land, Texas, native notched goals in wins over Auburn, Vanderbilt, SMU and UT Martin and two against LSU, before scoring against Kansas in the first round. She also posted assists against Kansas, Auburn, TCU and SMU. In fact, Russell was the most productive Tiger in SEC action, with four goals and an assist for seven points.
She has already set single-single marks in both points (18), goals (seven) and assists (four). Last season, she scored three goals and had two assists for eight points.
Newcomers Finding the Scoring Column
So far in 2014, five of Mizzou's freshman have scored goals for the Tigers: Kaitlyn Clark, Allie Hess, Jessica Johnson, Alli Magaletta and Savannah Trujillo.
Mizzou's five freshman scorers are tops amongst the Southeastern Conference (true freshmen only). Five SEC schools have had three freshman tally goals in 2014 to tie for second in the league. The 11 goals scored by Missouri freshman also lead the SEC, ahead of Auburn's 10.
The Tigers have also gotten 35 points from its freshman, as they've combined to record 13 assists in 2014. The 35 points rank second in the SEC, just behind Auburn's 41.
Tigers Record Three Ranked Wins in 2014 Mizzou's 3-1 win over No. 19 Kansas on Nov. 16 marked the team's third win over a ranked opponent of the season. The Tigers also dispatched No. 17 Georgia, 2-0, and No. 14 South Carolina, 1-0. Most impressive, all three wins came on the road. Missouri is now 3-3-0 against ranked foes this year, as the squad fell to No. 10 West Virginia, 3-2, on Aug. 25, No. 7 Florida, 3-1, on Sept. 28.
Last season, Mizzou recorded three wins over ranked opponents, with wins over No. 7 Florida (1-0), No. 7 South Carolina (2-1) and No. 25 Kentucky (2-1 in 2OT).
Tigers a Second Half Squad?
Mizzou has scored 37 goals in 2014 (which includes one own goal), 28 of which have come in the second half or later. The Tigers have nine first half goals, compared to 26 in the second half and one in each overtime session. But, Missouri owns a 8-1 record when they do record first half goals.
Interestingly enough, one of Mizzou's seven first half tallies came just 23 seconds into the match (from junior Reagan Russell against Vanderbilt), which was the fastest goal in program history.
Blitz with Two Coaching Milestones in 2014
Mizzou Head Coach Bryan Blitz has reached two milestones already during the 2014 season. Against Montana on Sept. 12, the 19-year head coach recorded his 200th career win at Missouri. Then on Oct. 5, Missouri's 2-0 win over Vanderbilt marked Blitz's 250th career head coaching win.
Blitz has a career coaching record of 253-208-31, with five seasons at Butler to go along with his 19 years with the Tigers. His Mizzou record stands at 208-164-23.
Sister, Sister
The 2014 Tigers are a family affair, with two pairs of sisters suiting up for Mizzou. Senior Kaysie Clark is joined on the pitch by her sister, feshman Kaitlyn, while freshman Jessica Johnson joins her sister Jessica on the squad. Both Clarks can be found in the midfield during the year, while Jasmine plays in the back and Jessica plays up front.