MU nets 6-1 win over Francis Marion

By Greg Young

Published Oct. 18, 2008

After a tough patch in Missouri’s soccer schedule in which the team played five straight Big 12 opponents with winning records, it cruised to a 6-1 win over NCAA Division 1 independent Francis Marion.

MU was able to bounce back against Francis Marion after losing a tough, 3-2 game at Oklahoma State in overtime and improved its record to 10-4. The Tigers, who have a 4-2 record in the Big 12, are currently in fourth place in the conference.

“Our team is very resilient,” coach Bryan Blitz said.  “They don’t let one loss make it to two, that is a way in which our team is a little more mature.”

The Tigers scored early and often against the Patriots, with their first goal coming 12 minutes into the game when junior forward Michelle Collins took advantage of a turnover in the box and shot it past the keeper, for her fifth goal of the season.

“We want to be consistent no matter who we are playing,” Collins said. “We always want to give a team our best game.”

MU kept the pressure up, scoring again seven minutes later when sophomore forward Alysha Bonnick pounded home a shot from 25 yards away for her seventh goal of the season.

MU’s defense held Francis Marion to only three shots in the game while the Tigers racked up 37 shots.  MU, after opening up a 3-0 lead in the first half, was able to give junior goalkeeper Tasha Dittamore the second half off.  Dittamore did not face a shot while she was in the game.

“They had more possession in their defense, and we just practiced really really hard, we just stepped up so high that they couldn’t get the ball out,” senior defender Kat Tarr said. 

Despite the mismatch, the Patriots did not give up, scoring a goal when sophomore midfielder Taylor Jenkins lobbed a shot from 30 yards over senior goalkeeper Mallory Forst.  Francis Marion dropped to 2-11-1 with the loss.

MU’s next game is one of their most important of the regular season. They travel to Texas A&M Sunday. The Aggies are tied for No. 1 in the Big 12 with Colorado after suffering their first loss on Friday in a 1-0 decision at Kansas. 

 “We have to impose our style on them,” Blitz said.  “It is going to be a battle of two different styles. We were close on the road on Sunday and we’ve been getting closer and closer, so hopefully this is the time.”