After 12 games, Kaysie Clark remained in search of her first collegiate goal.
Game No. 13 would prove to be the lucky one for Clark, a highly touted freshman forward from Kansas City.
In the 64th minute of Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Texas A&M at Walton Stadium, Missouri sophomore Danielle Nottingham passed to a wide-open Clark, who had found some open space on the backside of the pitch. After a few quick dribbles, the freshmen blasted her first career goal past the right of the Texas A&M goalkeeper.
The goal would prove to be the game winner, as Missouri (9-4) defeated No. 17 Texas A&M, who had won seven of its last eight matches.
“It’s pretty exciting, I’ve been waiting for it,” Clark said of the score. “It’s definitely a bit of a weight off my shoulders.”
Her teammates were just as delighted as she was to see her finally break onto the score sheet.
“She’s been waiting for this all season,” senior forward Kendra Collins said. “She hasn’t been feeling herself. It’s a new game and a new level, but she’s started to hit her stride and this goal probably gave her the huge confidence boost she needed.”
Clark’s goal was the first real scoring threat for either team, as both defenses mitigated scoring chances.
Following the goal, the Aggies became much more aggressive, forcing the crowd of 1,224 at Walton Stadium to hold its collective breath on numerous occasions.
But MU redshirt freshmen goalkeeper McKenzie Sauerwein was up to the challenge, turning away the Aggies at every chance they had. At no point was her presence felt greater than in the 75th minute, when Sauerwein stopped a shot from eight feet, and recovered after surrendering a rebound to deflect the ensuing shot off the post and out of trouble.
“McKenzie comes up big for this group time and time again,” assistant coach Todd Shulenberger said. “The saves that kid has been making are world class.”
Shulenberger was in charge of the team tonight, as head coach Bryan Blitz watched from the press box, serving his one-game suspension for receiving a red card last Sunday at Oklahoma State.
Despite Blitz’s absence, the team did not skip a beat, a testament to the quality of the those in charge.
“We have a great coaching staff,” Collins said. “Not to say Bryan (Blitz) not being there wasn’t important but we weren’t affected at all. We have a great coaching staff, Todd (Shulenberger) came in and picked up the slack.”
Coach Blitz will return to the sidelines Sunday afternoon, as the Tigers play host to the Texas Longhorns.