Finish. Prove it.
That’s Missouri soccer’s motto this season as it enters its inaugural Southeastern Conference slate this weekend against Auburn on Friday and South Carolina on Sunday.
The No. 21 Tigers are fresh off a 5-1 nonconference start, losing only to Ohio State last week on the road, 1-0, in overtime.
The strong, nonconference play almost mirrors last season’s start. In 2011, Missouri had an 8-2 record going into conference games. Through the Tigers’ first six games, the similarities are eerie. Missouri posted a 5-1 record to start and scored 16 goals, identical to this season.
In that six-game stretch last year, the Tigers also recorded two shutouts and knocked off a ranked opponent, just like this season.
Missouri, though, became unglued going into league play last year against Big 12 Conference teams.
In their conference stretch last year, the Tigers fell to a 3-5 record, finishing 12-8-1 overall and missing the NCAA tournament.
This season, Missouri has made a point to stick to that motto and correct last year’s performance. Before every game, the Tigers pass a metallic sign that is emblazoned with the word “finish.”
“I think we’ve done pretty well,” redshirt sophomore goalkeeper McKenzie Sauerwein said. “Last year we had a great record, but we kind of goofed up. I think that’s in the back of our heads this year. We need to have the same mentality as we did in non-conference games, so we come out and win games.”
The second part of the motto, prove it, relates to the team’s debut performance in the SEC.
Coach Bryan Blitz suggested that the SEC might play Missouri more defensively than what the Big 12 presented. He said he has already seen teams packing players into the backfield against his squad.
Through the Tigers first four games, they averaged 3.5 goals a game. In their last two games, the Tigers have mustered a mere goal per game.
“They bunkered,” Blitz said after the 2-0 win over Tennessee Tech on Sept. 2. “It’s a hard thing to solve, and it was a good opportunity for us to have another challenge to solve. … It’s something that we think we’ll see in the SEC.”
The opposition has also started to mimic Missouri’s aggressive style of play.
Tennessee Tech had three more fouls than Missouri, who has out-fouled every other opponent this season.
“That’s what we like,” senior midfielder Jessica Greer said after the Tech game, showing off a fresh 2-inch cut below her right leg. “That shows respect for us. It shows that they’re going to play hard against us. We don’t mind it. We can take a hit here and there.”
Even with the bumps and bruises and a new style of play to battle, Missouri has set the bar high going into the SEC. The team’s goal is to win the conference. Although the expectations for the team are high, Sauerwein said the Tigers didn’t have any pre-SEC jitters.
“I think the team is reacting pretty well,” Sauerwein said. “I think we’re excited for the most part.”
Adding to the hype, Missouri’s game Sunday against South Carolina will be broadcast live on ESPNU.
Sauerwein said she hopes that her team’s success against nonconference opponents will carry over this weekend and beyond.
“(The nonconference games) were challenging,” Sauerwein said. “It gives us all confidence since we’re doing pretty well leading into the SEC. Hopefully that will give us a little boost.”