(Photo Credit: Ryan Leopando)
The Missouri Tigers women’s soccer teams season came to an end Friday with a 1-0 loss to Washington in the first over time period. While it’s disappointing to see the team’s early exit after what had been a splendid season there are plenty of good things to take away.
The Tigers held with the 24th ranked Huskies for the majority of the match and nearly took the lead on a few occasions. Though Washington outshot Missouri 17-10 the Tigers nearly took the lead in the 54th minute as Kaysie Clark sent a ball to the foot of Taylor Grant, but a defender was there at the goal line to clear it away.
In the first minute of overtime Washington’s Kimberly Keever put one just out of the reach of Tiger keeper McKenzie Sauerwein for the game winner. The goal was Keever’s sixth of the season.
For Sauerwein the matched marked her 83rd game in a Tiger uniform, the most by any player in Missouri soccer history.
Missouri finishes the season with a record of 12-7-3 and will lose Suerwein, Clark, and Grant heading into next season. However the Tigers have had excellent play from a number of quality freshmen and sophomores, so head coach Bryan Blitz shouldn’t be too worried.
Kaitlyn Clark played well in her freshman campaign earning honors on the all-sec freshman team. Clark registered eight points on two goals and four assists in Missouri’s 19 regular season games. She also earned 16 starts in the midfield where she will see a bigger role in the coming years with her sister graduating.
Allie Hess is another Tiger that has the potential to contribute minutes up front as Grant graduates. Hess tallied her lone goal of the season in the 2-1 victory over Kentucky and tallied a pair of assists in the 2-0 victory over Vanderbilt. Hess a native of Kerarney, Mo. ranked 71st in the women’s IMG academy 150.
Savannah Trujillo excelled in the Tiger midfield registering 10 points on the season with three goals and four assists. Along side Clark the freshman duo gives the Tigers versatility and the ability to create plays for the front line that will return junior Reagan Russell for her senior campaign.
Additionally the Tigers have five commitments from four-star recruits. Defensemen Payton Goulding will help bolster the Tigers backline that includes Candace Johnson and Jasmine Johnson.
Two of the Missouri recruits, Madison Lewis and Kelsey Dossey, are ranked in the top 100 of the IMG academy top 150 according to www.topdrawersoccer.com. Lewis a midfielder adds depth to the already young group and Dossey a goalkeeper could be the new long-term option in net. Dossey is listed as the fourth best goalkeeper in the country coming out of the 2015 class.
There’s plenty to be proud of for this Missouri team this season and they only look to be improving further. They defeated ranked quality opponents, which included South Carolina and Georgia, head coach Bryan Blitz eclipsed the 200 win mark, and the squad was able to upend Kansas in a renewed border war. And even though they lose their anchor in net and two of their top scorers the Tigers have a bright young group of players for the future and will look to build with them in the years to come.
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