Coach Bryan Blitz will look to maintain the recently established status quo this weekend as the Missouri Tigers women’s soccer team attempts to keep its momentum going and grab its fourth and fifth consecutive wins.
MU (3-1) will play host to Northern Arizona (0-4) on Friday night before hopping on a plane and making the quick turnaround for a Sunday matinee at TCU.
Missouri hopes to keep its string of strong games going as its freshman trio of Kaysie Clark, Abi Raymer and Taylor Grant buffers a strong set of sophomores and upperclassmen. The balanced combination has formed a potent attack thus far as the Tigers have outshot their opponents by a margin of 81-43.
While MU’s strong offensive attack has been a key to its three-game winning streak, the emergence of a powerful presence in the net aided last weekend’s momentous sweep of Big Ten foes then-No. 7 Ohio State and Purdue.
The Tigers utilized a breakthrough performance from redshirt freshman goalkeeper McKenzie Sauerwein as the North Richland Hills, Texas, product fended off three point-blank opportunities against the Buckeyes to preserve a clean sheet.
Sauerwein didn’t have to work nearly as hard in Sunday’s 4-2 win over the visiting Boilermakers, thanks in part to a dominating 32-12 shot tally in favor of MU as sophomore midfielder and preseason All-Big 12 selection Dominique Richardson got rolling and chipped in two game-winning goals over the weekend.
With the backline coalescing and an emerging microwave-like offense able to pop up and strike any moment, the Tigers have to be considered heavy favorites heading into their Friday fixture against Northern Arizona. The Lumberjacks don’t have a win to their credit yet and have given up 15 goals over their first four games.
After a 7-0 loss at the hands of in-state rival Arizona State to begin the year, the Lumberjacks have managed to outshoot their last two opponents by a combined tally of 40-18 in a pair of losing efforts. The Tigers will look to maintain ball possession for the majority of the 90 minutes and end their prolonged four-game home stand without a blemish.
Coach Blitz and his Tigers will then head to Fort Worth, Texas, on Sunday afternoon for a match up against TCU (1-2). The Horned Frogs have been handed a pair of 1-0 defeats coupled with a dominating win against an overmatched Lamar side and will be riding the home crowd at the Garvey-Rosenthal Soccer Complex.
Missouri should once again be favored despite possible fatigue that might become a factor and could be magnified in the oppressive Texas heat. The Horned Frogs’ anemic offense has been outshot by a count of 59-37 and MU’s gameplan will likely center around ball possession and pitch control.
MU will need to shut down emerging TCU freshman Natalie Werner, who has a game-winning goal to her name, if it hopes to score its first road victory of the season.
Fans can catch a glimpse of the Tigers on Friday night as it hosts Northern Arizona at Audrey J. Walton Complex with the opening touch slated for 6:30 p.m.
