Column:

Soccer celebrates the holidays with the Illini

By Mark Levitt

Published Dec. 4, 2008

Holidays are occasions reserved for families to get together and celebrate. Out-of-town relatives hug and gush about how much the kids have grown, Grandma cooks her famous dish and the inappropriate uncle tells jokes nobody finds funny. And then there's the one brother and sister who never seem to get into the holiday spirit, fighting through every barbeque and reunion they attend.

The athletic departments at MU and the University of Illinois might not be related by blood, but they sure do battle like siblings through almost every holiday of the year. The football teams duke it out before a Labor Day barbecue, with the Tigers getting the best of the Illini for the past few years. The basketball programs clash annually right before Christmas in the most underrated sports atmosphere in the country. Coach Mike Anderson and MU have gone more than a decade without unwrapping a victory in the Braggin' Rights game in St. Louis. But just before Thanksgiving, on Nov. 14, after years of letting the moneymaking sports dominate the conversation, soccer took its seat at the dinner table.

Just before Thanksgiving, the MU and Illinois soccer teams met at Walton Stadium to settle some issues before settling down to their turkey dinners. They gave all who witnessed something to be thankful for. On the line was more than the typical backyard Turkey Bowl football game. Whereas the football teams meet at the beginning of their schedule and the basketball teams in the middle, the soccer game represented the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Winner to the Sweet 16, loser to sulk at home over pumpkin pie. The situation added a bit of an edge to the festive atmosphere.

This family affair had deep ties. Illini coach Janet Rayfield talked about how her brother used to play soccer with MU coach Bryan Blitz. And as any siblings will tell you, the better you know your opponent, the more you want to win.

The Tigers ended up losing in heartbreaking fashion, but for once, the real story of this competition was not about who won and who lost.

Like the Braggin' Rights game and Arch Rivalry, this game was full of "MIZ-ZOU" and "ILL-INI" chants coming from the divided crowd. The left side sported orange and blue, the right black and gold. The atmosphere made me proud to be a Missouri fan, and more importantly, proud to be a sports fan.

The action on the field was nothing short of inspiring. And this is coming from a person who generally struggles to watch soccer. But these women competed in a way that made me thankful to bear witness.

Both teams played tough, surviving hard fouls and scoring chances. MU needed a Mallory Stipetich goal in the 74th minute to even up the score at one. Illinois forced overtime when it avoided two point-blank shots from the Tigers in the final three minutes of regulation.

One overtime wasn't enough. Two overtimes could not decide. After 28 and 12 shots for Missouri and Illinois respectively, a shootout was necessary to separate the two teams. Neither deserved to lose.

Blitz best described the feelings after the game.

"Athletics can be cruel and they can be joyous," Blitz said. "That's a part of life."

And though the Tigers might still be getting over a win-that-almost-was, they sat down on Thanksgiving knowing they have much to be thankful for.

A Big 12 Championship title and consecutive NCAA Tournaments is nothing to hang their heads over. They might be eliminated, but these Tigers won.