Oct. 26, 2002
College Station, Texas-Sceptics saying that soccer isn't exciting enough due to its generally low scoring totals can now bite their tongues after the Missouri-Texas A&M battle resulting in eight combined goals including three tie breakers. The Tigers and No. 6 ranked Aggies took soccer fans on a 90 minute tumultuous ride of cut throat competition. Ultimately, Missouri fell to their ranked opponent 5-3 to bring its season total to 10-5-2, with a 4-3-1 mark during Big 12 Conference play.
Despite the loss, the Tigers pulled through with some of their finest play during the 2002 season. Mizzou came out with its stubborn standard refusing to let up even when the scoreboard was against it. The Tigers came back to tie a single-point deficit three times during the fray and pressured the Aggie defensive ranks with a season record 10 corner kicks.
Jumping into the first period, the Tigers controlled the field forcing five corner kicks in the first 10 minutes. The Aggies were similarly dangerous starting the game with a free kick from the top of the penalty arc to open. Mizzou goalkeeper Stephanie Krawczyk reaffirmed her position as the Tigers' anchor coming up with a huge diving save to thwart the Aggies. The skirmish continued for the next 15 minutes before the rounds started exploding.
Texas A&M was the first to flash its lights on the scoreboard. Aggie Andrea Starns desperately took a long shot after the Mizzou defensive lines had shut down the A&M forward attack. The 15-yard bomb arced above the Mizzou goal and skimmed the top of the net just out of reach from Krawczyk.
Instead of unravelling the Tigers' resolve, the goal served as a catalyst rallying the Missouri ranks. Earning their sixth corner kick of the game, the Tigers re-balanced the battleground scoring a goal of their own. Midfielder Karen Bauer served in the cross that bounced around in the box. Kristen Heil controlled the ball to the ground and flicked a floor pass to forward Melissa Peabody. Peabody ripped a powerful shot that was deflected by an Aggie defender. Before the ball lost range however, forward Adriene Davis found an angle and slammed the ball past A&M goalkeeper Kati Jo Spisak.
The tussle continued to be a back and forth charade as the score was once again boosted in the Aggies' favor. In the heat of an offensive fray, a Mizzou defender attempted to propel a pass to Krawczyk allowing the goalkeeper to send the ball out to safety. Pressured by A&M's Heather Ragsdale, the defender's pass flew hard and unintentionally skimmed across the MU goal line.
Returning to the second half down by one, Missouri recomposed to once again revive. Thirteen minutes into the second period Davis came together with freshman Jennifer Nobis to boost the Tigers and re-tie the game. Davis flicked a clean pass to Nobis just inside the near corner of the penalty area where the forward throttled a low shot into the rear corner of the box.
Rebuilding their own offensive strike, the Aggies once again took the lead going up 3-2 after Ragsdale scored an eight-yard shot. Before the dust could settle however, Davis came back to score her second goal of the game on another corner kick by Mizzou. Bauer unleashed a cross into the box that was brought down by sophomore Shea Swoboda. Swoboda quickly flicked a pass and Davis finished up the play sliding the ball past Spisak.
At the height of a 3-3 standstill, Texas A&M turned the tables for the final time during the match scoring the game-winning goal on a direct penalty kick. Ragsdale took the shot earned from a foul inside the Mizzou penalty area to score her second goal of the game. Although the Tigers continued a valiant fight, the Aggies clinched the win scoring their fifth and final goal. Linsey Woodard took a powerful shot that was blocked by Krawczyk. Before the goalkeeper could recompose however, Emma Smith volleyed a ball into the net.
Overall Texas A&M outshot Mizzou 22-to-16, with a 13-to-6 shot on goal differential. The Tigers and the Aggies kept pace increasing their intensity through the second period. MU took just five shots in the first half and pummelled the A&M goal with 11 in the second. Texas A&M took nine in the first and 13 in the second period.
Krawczyk allowed five goals and made eight saves on her way to a 3-2-0 season mark. Spisak allowed three goals while coming up with five saves.
Missouri continues Big 12 Conference play against Texas on Sun., Oct. 27 at 1:00 p.m., in Austin. The Tigers round out the 2002 regular season on Fri., Nov. 1 at 7:00 p.m., when they host the Kansas Jayhawks in Columbia.