Oct. 1, 2009
TIGERS TRAVEL SOUTH TO FACE TWO TEXAS RIVALS
After opening conference play with a 3-2 victory over Oklahoma State, the University of Missouri women's soccer team (6-4-1, 1-0-0) will look to expand upon their success in matches against Texas (4-5-1, 1-0-1) on Friday, Oct. 2, at 7 p.m., as well as No. 15 Texas A&M (6-4-0, 1-1-0) on Sunday at 4 p.m. on national television.
LAST TIME OUT
On Friday, Sept. 25, Missouri played their final non-conference game of 2009 against the Northern Iowa Panthers and the offense was firing on all cylinders, winning 8-0. Seven different players found the net for the Tigers, with freshman Jessica Greer scoring twice. Junior Alysha Bonnick would score the opening goal of the game in the eighth minute by getting her head on a cross from Bree Thornton. Seniors Meghan Pfeiffer and Michelle Makasini got in on the action as well and sent the Tigers to halftime with a 3-0 lead. The Missouri offense kept attacking in the second period, recording 22 of their 38 total shots in the second half alone. Bree Thornton pushed the lead to 4-0 in the 57th minute. Greer then found the net on back-to-back occasions in the 78th and 82nd minutes. Haley Krentz and Kendra Collins would then score their first goals of the season to push the Tiger lead to 8-0 just before the final whistle.
Oklahoma State then visited Columbia on Sunday, Sept. 27, to open Missouri's 2009 conference campaign. Entering the game, the Tigers hadn't beaten the Cowgirls since 2005. The Missouri seniors lead the charge as the Tigers rallied to eventually pull out a 3-2 victory. Thornton opened scoring in the 16th minute, cleverly turning with the ball near the top of the box and firing a shot into the upper right corner of the net to make the score 1-0. It didn't take long for her to double up on the Cowgirls, as she netted again in the 18th by directing a Michelle Collins cross into the right side of the net with right her foot. Oklahoma State would get on the board in the 58th minute, when Melinda Mercado collected the ball on a rebound and slotted it home. It was in the 71st minute when the Cowgirls drew level, after Krista Lopez scored in a similar fashion to make the score 2-2. It didn't take long for Missouri to find the game-winner, however, as Michelle Collins tapped in the Tigers' third goal of the day after a Kristin Andrighetto corner kick in the 76th. Tasha Dittamore was then forced to make one of her best saves of the season in the 82nd minute after Oklahoma State was awarded a penalty kick. Annika Niemeier directed her shot low to the right side of the net, but Dittamore was there to snatch it before it could cross the goal line and preserve the Missouri victory.
UP NEXT
After a trip to the Lone Star State, the Tigers return home for matches against Colorado on Friday, Oct. 9, at 6:30 p.m. and Texas Tech on Sunday, Oct. 11, at 1 p.m. The Tigers will be back on the road the following weekend for games against Baylor on Friday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. and Oklahoma on Sunday, Oct. 18, at 1 p.m.
GETTING TO KNOW TEXAS
The Texas Longhorns (4-5-1, 1-0-1) are coming off a less-than-stellar four game stretch, in which they have gone 1-2-1 in the past two weekends. The Longhorns opened conference play last Friday, Sept. 25, with a 2-1 victory at Oklahoma. The following Sunday, Texas played to a 0-0 draw at Baylor. Friday's match against Missouri opens a three-game home stand for Texas.
Sophomore midfielder Kylie Doniak currently holds the team lead in goals (three) and points (six). Doniak scored the opening goal of Texas' 2009 conference campaign in the their 2-1 win over Oklahoma. Sophomore Courtney Goodson leads the team in shots (13) and is tied for second in points (five) after recording two goals and one assist so far in 2009. Junior Niki Arlitt has set up the most goals this season, registering a team-high three assists and one goal as well.
Head Coach Chris Petrucelli is a 138-69-19 and is currently in his 11th season with the Longhorns. Texas holds the all-time series lead over Missouri 11-4-1. Texas' athletic web site provides a free live web stream of all of home matches along with free audio and gametracker. To access either of these, please visit here.
GETTING TO KNOW TEXAS A&M
The No. 15 Texas A&M Aggies (6-4-0, 1-1-0) have won three of their last four games, including a 3-1 victory over then-No. 2 Portland at College Station. The Aggies opened conference play on the road last Friday, Sept. 25, with a 1-0 victory over Baylor, before falling 3-2 at Oklahoma the following Sunday.
Texas A&M are lead by junior forward Whitney Hooper, who currently leads the team in points with 11, on the strength of five goals and one assist recorded in 2009. Hooper netted the game-winning goal in the Aggies 1-0 victory over Baylor to open conference play. Sophomore defender Bri Young sits second in points with eight, having recorded three goals and two assists of her own so far this season.
The Aggies are coached by G. Guerrieri, who is 279-82-15 in seventeen seasons with the program. Texas A&M currently holds the all-time series lead over Missouri, 10-5-0. Texas A&M will host Kansas on Friday, Oct. 2, prior to their Sunday match up with Missouri.
Sunday's match will be aired on ESPNU and will be called by Beth Mowins and Wendy Pallodino
RECORDS TO WATCH IN 2009
Several players are poised to make a move on the Mizzou Soccer record books this season in the career statistical categories. Andrighetto sits in fourth for game winning goals (nine), and fifth in goals (30) and career points (77). Michelle Collins is tied for sixth in game winning goals (eight), tied for seventh in assists (18) and eighth in goals (23) and points (64). Bonnick, as a junior, is tied for third in game winning goals (11) and seventh in goals (25) and points (70).
Senior goalkeeper Tasha Dittamore has set herself apart with a standout 2008 season in net for the Tigers. She currently holds the top spot on the career charts in goals against (48), is tied for first shutouts (14), runner-up in win percentage (.727), goals against average (1.04), and wins (28), and is tied for fifth in saves (145).
NEW LOOK TIGERS IN 2009
The Tigers return eight starters and 15 of 21 letter winners from their successful 2008 squad, but there are plenty of new faces as the Tigers kick off the 2009 campaign. Missouri signed one of its largest incoming classes in program history with the arrival of nine freshmen and a senior transfer for the 2009 season. Freshmen goalkeeper Jessica Gwin and freshman midfielder Haley Krentz were both named to TopDrawerSoccer's Top 100 Players to Watch, while Michelle Makasini comes to Columbia from LSU after earning TopDrawerSoccer All-American honors as a freshman and sophomore.
All told, the Tigers have a balance of 11 upperclassmen (seven seniors, four juniors) and 16 underclassmen (six sophomores, 10 freshmen) that hail from nine different states and Canada. Additionally, three new coaches will be on the sideline for the Tigers. Shaunna Daugherty, formerly an assistant at Illinois State, and Todd Shulenberger, from Clemson, join the Missouri coaching staff as assistants, while volunteer assistant Danny Graville enters his first season in charge of fitness and conditioning for the team.
MIZZOU SOCCER ONLINE
In addition to the official news, photos, statistics, and more available on mutigers.com, the Missouri soccer program is complementing the team's coverage for all those who follow Mizzou Soccer Online. The supplementary sites include a Twitter account for instant updates on the team, a YouTube channel to post match footage and media coverage, a Facebook Fan Page for news and information, and ThisIsMizzouSoccer.com which features a team blog, podcasts, and much more. 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 fans, alumni, and recruits.
MU PICKED TO FINISH FIRST IN BIG 12
For the first time in program history, the Tigers were picked to finish first in the Big 12 Soccer Preseason Poll as voted on by the conference's coaches. Missouri and Texas A&M tied atop the league standings in cumulative voting points, with the Tigers receiving four of the 11 first place votes. 2008 Big 12 Championship runner-up Colorado came in third with 76 points, while `08 regular season champions Oklahoma State were tabbed fourth with 68 points. Perennial power Texas finished fifth, followed by Kansas, Nebraska, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Baylor, and Iowa State.
THREE TIGERS NAMED ALL-BIG 12
For the second year in a row, the Preseason All-Big 12 Team featured three Missouri Tigers. Seniors Crystal Wagner, Meghan Pfeiffer, and Andrighetto were all selected to the conference preseason team as voted on by league coaches. The three selections were the second most of any team, trailing only Texas A&M's four honorees. Andrighetto is a two-time All-Big 12 First Team selection and Pfeiffer is a two-time All-Big 12 Second Team selection; both players received the recognitions their sophomore and junior seasons.
BONNICK ON HERMANN WATCH LIST
Junior striker Alysha Bonnick is in consideration for one of the top recognitions in the sport with the NSCAA's announcement of the 2009 Hermann Trophy Watch List. Bonnick is one of 45 players in the country on the Missouri Athletic Club's (MAC) list of potential award winners, and just one of five from the Big 12 conference. The Ontario, Canada native led Missouri in scoring last season with 26 points en route to earning Soccer Buzz All-America fourth team honors and All-Big 12 First Team accolades. Bonnick was named Big 12 Newcomer of the Year in 2007 after recording 32 points on 11 goals and 10 assists, all Missouri freshman records.
So far this season, Bonnick is third on the team in points with eight, notching three goals and two assists in 2009.
THREE TIGERS INVITED TO US U-23's
Pfeiffer, Wagner, and Collins all received call-ups to travel to England with the United States U-23 National Team in July for two games against the English U-23 National Team and a match versus the Reading women's club. Only Wagner was able to accept the invitation, and the senior co-captain appeared in all three matches for the USA while abroad. Wagner led a Tigers' defense that set school records in 2008 with 12 shutouts and a 0.80 goals against average, earning Soccer Buzz All-Central region second team and NSCAA/adidas All-Central region third team honors.
NEW LOOK VIDEO BOARD AT WALTON
Mizzou soccer spectators will enjoy a new video board and sound system at Walton Stadium this season. Installed by Daktronics, Inc., the 21 feet by 12 feet, full color display is one of four new state-of-the-art displays to be added to Missouri athletic facilities. The board will be display match statistics, marketing information, and live scores, with video features expected to be added as the season progresses.
