Analysis: Seniors step up for Missouri soccer

Coach Bryan Blitz was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year again.

By Vinnie Duber

Published Nov. 6, 2009

The Missouri women's soccer team might not have been able to complete a nearly unthinkable task — going undefeated in Big 12 play — but with the Big 12 Tournament underway, it has nothing but success to build upon.

Two weekends ago, the Tigers captured the first regular season Big 12 conference championship in any sport at Missouri since 1997. The following Friday, they were handed their first loss of the conference season by rival Kansas, 3-2, in Lawrence, Kan.

After the regular season concluded, Missouri was honored with several conference accolades. Coach Bryan Blitz was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year for the second time in three years. Senior defender Crystal Wagner was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. Wagner and senior forward Kristin Andrighetto were named to the All-Big 12 first team, and senior forward Michelle Collins and senior goalkeeper Tasha Dittamore were named to the All-Big 12 second team.

Ten Tigers were named to the Big 12 All-Academic Team, seven to the first team and three to the second team. Senior midfielder Bree Thornton was one of 11 players in the conference to post a 4.0 GPA.

The loss at Kansas was not the perfect way to head to the postseason, but Missouri certainly was not going to dwell on the loss.

Blitz has emphasized all season long he wants his team to take the season one game at a time. It is a way of thinking his players have most definitely bought into.

And, since a Sept. 20 loss in Los Angeles to college soccer powerhouse UCLA, the Tigers have lost just once -- the regular season finale at Kansas.

It would not be long, though, before Missouri would have its revenge on the Jayhawks. They bested Kansas 3-2 in overtime during the first round of the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday night in San Antonio.

Two more wins and the Tigers will bring their second straight Big 12 Tournament championship back to Columbia. The Big 12 Tournament championship game will take place Sunday afternoon.

As has been the case all season long, the Tigers are relying on the experience of their seniors to guide the team to new heights. The team's two top goal scorers are seniors — Andrighetto and Collins. Collins scored in the regular season finale at Kansas and Andrighetto scored twice in the first round match against the Jayhawks in San Antonio, including the game winner in overtime.

It will be the Tigers' senior members' continued elevated play that will determine just how far Missouri goes in the postseason. The Tigers' aggressive offensive attack is their strongest attribute, and if they can keep pressuring with their talented forwards, they have a great shot at advancing far into the tournament.

It is yet to be determined whether the Tigers will host first and second round games of the NCAA Tournament. The first game of the NCAA Tournament will be Nov. 13.