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Playing for Pink will benefit the Susan G. Komen for a Cure
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Nationally-Ranked Tigers Welcomes Big Ten Contender Iowa in Playing for Pink
Playing for Pink will benefit the Susan G. Komen for a Cure
Sept. 18, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The nationally-ranked Missouri soccer team will be Playing for Pink at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 19 in its game against Big Ten Conference foe Iowa at Walton Stadium. The Tigers enter the contest on a three game winning streak and a 4-2 mark while the Hawkeyes own a 4-3 record.
Playing for Pink
Mizzou will be Playing for Pink against Iowa on Friday night to benefit the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation. The Tigers will throw out 25 shirts to the fans and hold a raffle for five autographed pink soccer balls. Fans can buy one raffle ticket for $10 or three tickets for $20. All proceeds raised, including $1 from every ticket sold, will go toward the foundation.
Last Time Out
The Tigers made it three straight wins last weekend, downing previously unbeaten Vanderbilt 3-0 on Friday and prevailing over Butler 2-1 on Sunday. Against the Commodores Missouri got second half goals by sophomore Alysha Bonnick, junior Meghan Pfeiffer, and freshman Mallory Stipetich. Stipetich's first of her college career came in memorable fashion, a long-range effort that bounced over Vanderbilt goalkeeper Rachel Bachtel from 55 yards out. Junior goalkeeper Tasha Dittamore made seven saves, the best of which came in the final minute to preserve her third shutout of the season.
On Sunday, inclement weather from the weekend delayed kickoff until 6 p.m., but the Tigers made it worth their wait. Missouri outshot the Bulldogs 25-5, including a 14-2 edge in shots on goal, en route to the victory. After senior Lindsay McCoy's header gave the Tigers the lead in the 45th minute, Butler responded just 17 seconds later. The score remained locked at 1-1 until the 84th minute when senior captain Mo Redmond scored off a cross from junior Kristin Andrighetto.
With the wins, Missouri improved to 4-2-0, the same record the team had through six games a season ago when the Tigers made it to the second round of the NCAA tournament before falling to eventual national champion USC.
Tigers in the Polls
Missouri moved up to No. 26 in the Top Drawer Soccer national rankings this week, following the sweep last weekend. While also receiving votes in the NSCAA/adidas top 25 national poll, the Tigers are ranked fifth in the coaches' Central Region Rankings. Missouri's only two losses this season have come to top-25 opponents, falling to current No. 23 Illinois in overtime and on the road at current No. 18 California.
Big 12 Contender
Soccer America brought attention to Missouri's current three-game winning streak, writing in Wednesday's edition of College Soccer Reporter: "Missouri is looking like it could be a Big 12 Contender." As conference play is set to begin next weekend, the Big 12 looks to be one of the toughest conferences in all of women's soccer this season. Five Big 12 schools --Texas A&M (No. 8), Texas (No. 10), Oklahoma State (No. 13), Colorado (No. 21) and Kansas (No. 25) are currently in the NSCAA/adidas top 25 national poll. The Tigers were picked to finish third behind Texas and Texas A&M in the Big 12 Preseason Poll.
Non-Conference Schedule Close to Complete
Friday's match against Iowa will be the Tigers' last non-conference contest before opening Big 12 competition against Iowa State on Friday, Sept. 26th. The Tigers should be well prepared going into Ames, having been tested against quality teams from the Big Ten, SEC, and Pac Ten conferences. One non-conference game remains following Friday's match against Iowa, as Missouri will play the Francis Marion Patriots on Friday, Oct. 17th.
Well Balanced Attack
The Missouri offense has been producing plenty of goals as of late - eight in its last three games - and is doing so via a collective effort. The Tigers' 10 goals this season have come from nine different players. Eleven total players have tallied a point, including Lindsay McCoy -- a defender her first three seasons in Black and Gold -- who scored the first goal of her college career in Sunday's 2-1 win over Butler. The only player to strike twice is sophomore forward Alysha Bonnick, who looks to build off last year's Big 12 Rookie of the Year season where she compiled 11 goals and 10 assists as a freshman.
Finishing Strong
The Tigers are developing a reputation as a second-half team this season and the statistics certainly support it: nine of the team's 10 goals have come in the second half. Missouri's lone first half score came on Sunday, with just 45 seconds remaining before halftime. The Tigers' defense has followed suit, allowing just one second half goal in six games, resulting in Missouri's 9-1 second half advantage in goals scored this season.
Andrighetto Climbing the Charts
Andrighetto is making her mark felt on the Missouri career record books this season. Andrighetto's six shots last weekend moved her into fourth place on the career shots list with 198 total, passing Adriene Davis (00-03). Andrighetto is also approaching two other players on the record lists. With her assist on Sunday, Andrighetto now has 53 career points and is within one point of Kristin Boeker (97-00) for fifth on the Tigers' career points list. And with two shots on goal last weekend, Andrighetto sits two back of fifth place (Kristin Heil, 01-04) with 78 in her career.
Bonnick Comes Through in Clutch
Following a team best five game-winning goals as a freshman last season, Bonnick added her first of 2008 on Friday in the Tigers' 3-0 victory over Vanderbilt. The game-winning goal moved her into a three-way tie for sixth on Missouri's career game-winning goals list. She is tied with Amber Swinehart (02-05) and Erin Grimsley (98-99) with six career match winners.
Dittamore Continues Solid Start
On the other end of the field, Dittamore added seven saves and another shutout to her strong junior season in the 3-0 win over the Commodores on Friday. Her third shutout of the year, Dittamore passed Liz LaTour (96-00) for sole possession of 5th place on the Missouri career shutouts list with six. Dittamore's 26 saves this season has already surpassed the 21 saves she compiled in 12 appearances last season. Dittamore is currently ranked 3rd in the Big 12 Conference for save percentage (.812) and saves (26), 2nd for saves per game (4.33), and 1st in shutouts (3) and shutouts per game (0.50).
Scouting Iowa
The Hawkeyes (4-3-0) come to Columbia Friday for the first of two Big 12 Conference matchups this weekend. After taking on the Tigers, they face in-state rival Iowa State on Sunday. Missouri holds a perfect 6-0-0 record all-time against the Hawkeyes and has yet to concede a goal in the series. This will be the sixth consecutive year the two teams have met, alternating venues each season.
Head Coach Ron Rainey's fields a squad with 10 newcomers - nine of them freshmen - ranked as the 55th best recruiting class in the nation by Soccer Buzz. Freshman Morgan Showalter, a top 200 recruit, ranks 10th in the nation in assists per game with six assists in seven games (0.86). Freshman goalkeeper Emily Moran, a top-150 recruit who splits time with sophomore Kali Feiereisel, ranks 14th in the nation in goals against average, having allowed just one goal in 318 minutes, and sixth in the nation in save percentage (0.947).
Striker Stephanie Hyink, one of only two seniors on the team, was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week this week after scoring both goals in Iowa's 2-0 win over Northern Iowa on Friday and contributing both assists in Iowa's 2-0 win over Creighton on Sunday. Iowa is coming off an improved season in 2007 when they went 8-8-4 (4-6-0, eighth place) and qualified for the Big Ten Tournament for the first time since 2001. The Hawkeyes defense has been the key to their success so far this season, as all four Iowa wins are shutouts and the team has allowed only four goals in its seven games.
Mizzou Soccer Online
In addition to the official news, photos, statistics and more that are available on mutigers.com, the Missouri soccer program is complementing the team's coverage with two supplementary sites for fans, alumni, and recruits. The team has continued to update ThisIsMizzouSoccer.com since its debut this spring, which features a coach's blog, photos and video of the team in action, team information and much more. Additionally, Missouri is the first school to launch its customized team page on the recently unveiled GoCollegeSoccer.com. The Tigers are excited to continue highlighting their program in the national spotlight via all of these resources and to provide up close and timely coverage of the team for all those who follow Mizzou soccer.
Double Duty
Due to the schedule change, the Tigers faced an unprecedented task last weekend: playing on back-to-back days for the first time in regular season program history. The Tigers played two games less than 24 hours apart after facing Cal on Saturday, Sept. 6 at 11 a.m. PT and Eastern Washington at 10 a.m. PT on Sunday, Sept. 7. All told, Missouri has played on back-to-back days five times in Big 12 Tournament postseason play -- most recently in 2003 when the Tigers beat Colorado on Thursday, Nov. 6 to become the first eight-seed to upset the one-seed in the opening round and then followed it up the next day with the team's first ever win over Nebraska to clinch their spot in the conference championship.
Mizzou Picked to Finish Third in the Big 12
The Tigers were picked to finish third in the Big 12 Conference Preseason Poll in a vote by league coaches. Texas was picked to win the 2008 Big 12 soccer championship after receiving five first-place votes and 94 points. Texas A&M, chosen second, received four first-place votes and 93 points, while Missouri came in third with 77 points and two first-place votes. The remainder of the poll consisted of Oklahoma State in fourth place, followed by Colorado, Kansas, Texas Tech, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Iowa State and Baylor.
Three Tigers Named to Preseason All-Big 12 Team
Three Mizzou players, senior Mo Redmond and juniors Kristin Andrighetto and Meghan Pfeiffer, were selected to the 12-member Preseason All-Big 12 team, also voted on by conference coaches. Missouri's three selections tied Texas for the league lead. As a sophomore in 2007, Andrighetto became only the second player in Tiger history to earn All-Big 12 first team honors, joining former All-American Nikki Thole. Redmond and Pfeiffer both earned All-Big 12 second team accolades a year ago.
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