Oct. 30, 2007
Complete Release in PDF Format 
Columbia, Mo. -
NOTE: All Conference and National Statistical Rankings include games through last Sunday (Oct. 28)
The 18th-ranked University of Missouri women's soccer team (12-5-0, 6-3-0 Big 12) travels to Lawrence, Kan., Friday (Nov. 2) to face the Kansas Jayhawks (6-9-4, 4-2-3 Big 12) in the latest installment of the Border Showdown Game. The Tigers will try to win their seventh Big 12 game of the season, which would be a new program record. The seventh win would also give them the No. 2 seed heading into the Big 12 Championship, Nov. 7-11, in San Antonio, Texas.
Mizzou Leads Border Showdown
Going into Friday's game in Lawrence, the Tigers lead the Border Showdown, 5-1.5, after the Mizzou volleyball team defeated the Jayhawks last Saturday (Oct. 27). The win avenged a loss earlier in the season to Kansas. Both the Mizzou men's and women's squads finished ahead of KU's teams in the Big 12 Cross Country Championships last Friday (Oct. 26). Mizzou's women's swimming team also defeated Kansas last Friday. This Friday's soccer game is worth three points.
Tigers Split Weekend, Fall Slightly in Rankings
The Tigers went 1-1 on the weekend, as Iowa State defeated the 15th-ranked Tigers, 1-0, in overtime, Friday (Oct. 26), and Mizzou beat Nebraska, 3-1, Sunday (Oct. 28). Mizzou dropped from 15th to 18th in the Soccer America poll, 15th to 20th in the SoccerTimes.com coaches poll and from 17th to 20th in the Soccer Buzz poll. The Tigers also dropped from 16th to 21st in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas poll.
Scenarios
The Tigers can earn a second place finish, their best Big 12 finish in program history, if they defeat Kansas Friday afternoon. If the Jayhawks win, the lowest Mizzou would fall to is fourth in the league, which would still be their best conference finish since the 2002 team finished fourth.
Team Nearing Season Wins Record
The Tigers are just two victories away from tying the 1999 team's mark of 14, which has stood to be the highest number of wins in program history.
Tigers Tie Conference Wins Record
With their six Big 12 wins, Mizzou ties a program record set by the 1999 Tigers, who went 6-3-1, finishing a program-high third in the league. The 2007 team can break both of those records with a win over Kansas, as Mizzou's seventh win would keep them in second place in the standings.
New Attendance Record
Mizzou set a regular season average attendance record in 2007, as an average of 684 fans watched Mizzou's nine home games. The average attendance has increased each of the past three seasons.
Tigers Own Second Period
Mizzou is outscoring opponents, 27-9, in the second 45 minutes of games this season. If you include overtime periods, the Tigers still have a, 28-12, advantage.
Tigers Best Road Team in Mizzou History
The Tigers are 5-2 on the road this season. Their five wins is a new program record, besting the 1999 and 2004 squads who each earned four victories away from Walton Stadium.
Blitz Earns Fourth 12-win Season
With Sunday's win over Nebraska, Tiger Head Coach Bryan Blitz's squad won its 12th game of the season, the highest total since the 2003 season.
Collins and Andrighetto Outscoring Opponents, Literally
Tiger forwards Michelle Collins and Kristin Andrighetto have combined to score 22 goals on the season, one more than the 21 the Tigers have given up all year. If the duo finishes the season with a higher total than Mizzou's opponents, it would be the first time in Tiger history Mizzou's top two scorers have outscored their opponents.
Andrighetto Moving up Leader Boards
Andrighetto has scored 32 points on the season, the highest by a Mizzou player since Adriene Davis scored 37 in 2001. Andrighetto's point total ranks sixth on Mizzou's season record list. Her 12 goals this season ties her for fifth on Mizzou's all-time leader board. Career-wise, she is now 10th on Mizzou's career points list, with 45, and eighth on Mizzou's all-time goals list, with 18.
Andrighetto in the National Rankings...
Andrighetto is 16th, nationally, with 1.88 assists per game. She is tied for 20th in the nation with a .706 goals per game average.
Bonnick Having Great Freshman Year
Tiger freshman forward Alysha Bonnick has nine goals and seven assists on the season, giving her 25 points. Her nine goals ties her for second among Mizzou freshman all-time with Melissa Peabody, who scored nine in her freshman season of 2001. Bonnick's performance this season marks the first time since '01 that a Tiger freshman has scored nine. Erin Grimsley holds the program record with 14 goals scored in her freshman season of 1998. Grimsley also holds the points scored by a freshman record, with 41 in 1998.
Mizzou's Next Shutout...
The Tigers' next shutout would tie the program record of seven, set in the 2005 season. In the conference, only Oklahoma has been shut out more times than Kansas, as OU has been held scoreless 10 times, while KU has not scored in eight games.
About the Jayhawks
Kansas is 6-9-4 overall and 4-2-3 in the conference after defeating Nebraska, 3-1, Friday (Oct. 26) and Iowa State, 1-0, Sunday (Oct. 28). The Jayhawks had a near-perfect October, as they went 5-2-1, including a win over Texas Tech, and ties against then-No. 23 Oklahoma State and then-No. 6 Texas. Despite their hot month, Kansas is not ranked, or mentioned in this week's national or regional polls. They started the season 0-5-1 before earning their first win, a, 1-0, overtime triumph over Missouri State Sept. 18. That was their only win as they went into October.
Series Notes
Kansas has a lead in the all-time series, winning eight of the 13 games dating back to 1996. Mizzou is 1-4 in five games in Lawrence, Kan. The Tigers have not won there since their first ever meeting in 1996. Kansas won last year, 4-0, in Columbia.
Mizzou's High Scoring Offense vs. KU's D
Offensively, the current Tiger team is ahead of the program record in goals per game. Mizzou is scoring an average of 2.71 goals per game, which ranks second in the conference, and ties them for eighth, nationally. The average is just more than the 2.7 goals per game average the 1999 team kept through the season. With an average of eight points per game, the current squad is also ahead of the 1999 team, which holds the record in that category (7.43). Three Tiger forwards; Andrighetto, Collins and Bonnick, lead the team in scoring, with 31 goals between them. The Jayhawks defense has given up 28 goals in 19 games, which ranks seventh in the Big 12. They have four shutouts on the year, which ties them for ninth in the conference in that category. Defenders Afton Sauer and Estelle Johnson and midfielders Jessica Bush and Missy Geha have started all 19 games for KU.
Mizzou's Defense vs. KU's Offense
The Tigers have only given up 21 goals this season, which is still well behind the program record for fewest goals allowed in a season (27). The 21 goals-against stat puts them in sixth in the conference. The current squad's 1.21 goals against average is lower than the 2005 team's record 1.30 goals against average, and is currently good for seventh in the league. Tiger defenders Tarr, Wagner and McCoy have played most of the year together on the back line. Mizzou's many midfielders, and even forwards, have helped the defensive effort this season, as the Tiger attackers take pride in pressuring the ball, and trying to keep it in their opponent's end.
Goalkeepers
Both Tiger goalkeepers, Mallory Forst and Tasha Dittamore, have earned six wins and three shutouts on the season. Forst has moved up to fourth on Mizzou's career victories list, with 15. She is tied with former Tiger Laura Buehrig for third place all-time with seven shutouts. Dittamore is already sixth on the career leader board with three shutouts. She is seventh in career victories, with six. Kansas' main keeper, Colleen Quinn, has started all 19 games, earning a 6-9-4 record with four shutouts. On the season, she has given up 28 goals in 19 games, a 1.42 goals-against average, which ranks 10th in the conference.
UP NEXT: Big 12 Championship
After Friday's game, The Tigers will prepare for their First Round match in the Big 12 Championship, Wednesday, Nov. 7, in San Antonio, Texas. For more information about the tournament, please visit the official Big 12 Championship web site on Big12Sports.com
Tiger Quick Notes
1-Mallory Forst-6-3 on season in goal ... Earned three shutouts ... Scored one goal as forward ... Also notched four assists on season.
2-Bree Thornton-Tore ACL; out for the reminder of the year. Season: Seven starts in seven games, one assist
3-Meghan Pfeiffer-Started all 17 games at midfielder ... One goal and one assist on the year.
4-Lindsay McCoy-Started all 17 games on the back line ... Earned four assists on season.
5-Kari Adam- Three goals on season ... Named Big 12 Conference Newcomer of the Week for her performance against the
Aggies.
7-Katya Hessel-Two goals, three assists ... Played in 16 of 17 games ... Third on team with 42 shots.
8-Crystal Wagner-Started all 17 on defense ... Earned an assist on Adam goal vs. A&M.
9-Krista Kruse-Started three games this season ... Has one goal and one assist on season
11-Alysha Bonnick-Third on team with nine goals ... Also has seven assists for a total of 25 points.
12-Mo Redmond-Two goals and six assists on season ... Five game-winning assists
13-Janelle Cordia-Played in all 17 games ... Scored first goal of season Friday (Oct. 19) against Texas ... One assist from midfield
position this year.
14-Michelle Collins-Second on team with 10 goals ... Tied for fourth on team with four assists
15-Tasha Dittamore-Earned sixth win of the season Sunday (Oct. 28) against Nebraska...six wins on the season.
16-Kristin Andrighetto-Leads team with 12 goals and eight assists.
17-Caitlin Linas-Has played in 15 games as a defender/midfielder ... Started first game of her career Sunday (Oct. 28) in win over Nebraska.
18-Brittany Hopkins-Out for season (ACL) ... Played in 11 games, started three.
19-Kat Tarr-defender has started all 17 games ... Leads team in minutes played (1524 of 1561) ... Fourth on team with four goals.
20-Ashley Hamblin-played in all 17 games ... Dished out three assists on the year ... Has taken 20 shots.
22-Kelsey Stokes-Started first game of the season Sunday (Oct. 21) against Colorado ... Played 36 minutes in the game... Played in all 17 games ... Has taken eight shots, including four on goal.
23-Emily Zaler-Mizzou's third goalkeeper is gaining experience in practice after transferring from Oregon.
