Missouri avoids letdown against Baylor

The soccer team is ranked third in the Big 12.

By Greg Young

Published Oct. 25, 2008

Every sign going into Missouri’s Friday showdown against Baylor pointed to a potential letdown for the Tigers.  They had just upset then-No. 6 Texas A&M the previous Sunday and had a nationally televised game coming against No. 10 Texas.

But with a combination of suffocating defense and opportunistic offense, Missouri was able to hang onto third place in the Big 12 with a 2-0 win against Baylor. The win improved Missouri’s record to 12-4 overall and 6-2 in the Big 12, while Baylor fell to 5-10-2 overall and 1-6-1 in conference.

In order to prevent MU from having a letdown, the coaching staff emphasized the Baylor game throughout the week.

“The coaches put Baylor signs on all of our lockers and everywhere just to remind us that this is the game we are playing on Friday,” senior forward Ashley Hamblin said.

The Missouri defense was strong again, allowing only one shot for Baylor and no shots on goal. In the last three games, all wins for the Tigers, the defense has allowed only one goal.

“I think it was the whole team defense tonight,” coach Bryan Blitz said. “Our defense starts with our rotation of forwards up front.”

Missouri’s first goal came in the 29th minute, when freshman midfielder Candace Ruff headed home a free kick from Hamblin. The goal was Ruff’s first of the season.

“It was a good feeling,” Ruff said. “It was about time that I got a goal.”

Hamblin, who was MU’s leading scorer in 2006 before she suffered a torn ACL and struggled through most of 2007, appears to be having a resurgence. Hamblin already has seven points on the season, more than double the three she had in 2007.

"It has just taken time for her to get her confidence back,” Blitz said. “She is working very hard to make that happen and we couldn’t be more happy for the way she is playing.”

Hamblin is glad that she is improving her play with only a few games left in the regular season, she said.

“It feels good,” Hamblin said. “I have two games left in the regular season, I don’t have that much time left so it feels good to pick things up.”

Missouri’s second and final goal came in the 76th minute, when junior forward Meghan Pfeiffer lobbed a ball that hit Baylor’s junior goalie Gianna Quintana in the head and went in.

"It was really lucky,” Pfeiffer said. “You can’t score unless you shoot, so I figured you might as well try it.”

Missouri’s next game is at home against Texas on Sunday. Texas is currently sixth in the Big 12 with a 4-2-2 record in the conference.

“I think the kids will do a good job of being mature and being ready to play against Texas,” Blitz said. “It is a very good Texas team, but I think we will be prepared to give it everything we have.”