MURRAY, Ky. – Mizzou soccer’s Brianna Buels (Indianapolis, Ind.) opened the team’s match against Murray State by scoring the opening goal in a program-record 14 seconds, spurring the Tigers (1-0-1) to a 3-1 win on Sunday afternoon at Cutchin Field.

The Black & Gold controlled the run of play against the Racers (0-2-0), posting 18 shots in total and leading its opponent in on-target attempts, 9-3.

“We had a great response today to find a way to get the win,” head coach Stefanie Golan said. “We scored some really nice goals and showed a ton of grit when we needed it. A road trip home is always a little more enjoyable with three points. Now, it’s about taking care of ourselves, fine-tuning some details on both sides of the ball and getting ready for our next opportunity.”

The Tigers did not need much time to get on the board, as junior Landis Canada (Fenton, Mich.) connected with Buels shortly after kickoff to make program history and take a 1-0 lead, Buels’ first of two on the day.

The Racers answered before the break, leveling the match in the 40th minute to send the teams into halftime tied at 1-1. Missouri carried a 9-6 advantage in shots into the intermission.

The Tigers retook the lead early in the second half. In the 50th minute, junior Emily Derucki (Wildwood, Mo.) buried an unassisted strike, her first goal of the year, to make it 2-1. Buels provided the insurance in the 67th minute, converting a setup from sophomore Allyssa Turner (Apex, N.C.) for her second goal of the afternoon and a 3-1 cushion. Buels finished with a match-high five shots, three on target.

Senior Riley Wilkerson (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) earned the win in her first start of the season, making two saves across 90 minutes. Senior Morgan Meador (Ballwin, Mo.) played all 90 minutes for the 29th-consecutive match, while freshman Rylie Morse (Lebanon, Ohio) added three shots.

UP NEXT
Missouri returns to Columbia for its home opener on Thursday as it hosts in-state foe Saint Louis at the freshly renovated Audrey J. Walton Stadium at 4:30 p.m. The match will be streamed on SEC Network+.

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