Northwestern scored in overtime Thursday night to spoil Missouri soccer’s 2018 home opener, 1-0, and hand the Tigers their second loss in a row. Missouri (1-1-2) has failed to tally a goal in three of its first four games of the season.
Senior goalkeeper Kelsey Dossey started in goal for the third straight game of the season, registering five saves on the night despite a shin injury that left her grounded for several minutes during the first half.
“She was brave enough to snuff that one out. That’s why she’s a senior and that’s why she’s in goal at this moment,” coach Bryan Blitz commented of Dossey’s performance.
The Tiger’s other goalies include redshirt sophomore Mercedes Sapp, who registered her first career start against Iowa this season, and redshirt freshman Peyton Bauman.
Although Northwestern maintained significant ball possession at the start of the game, once Missouri found its groove back on its home turf, offensive momentum switched back and forth between the teams. Seven Missouri players recorded at least one shot each, while Northwestern, led by senior Marisa Viggiano, had eight players searching for the net.
At the end of regulation, Missouri had registered 13 shots, four of which were on goal, to Northwestern’s 19. Led by redshirt junior Beth Coons in shots, the Tigers were on the hunt for a goal early in the first overtime period.
That goal didn’t come for the Tigers, but rather for the Wildcats when sophomore Kylie Fisher found the upper right corner of the net. Dossey said she believed the goal was headed wide of the net, even going so far as to call “away” as the ball sailed through the air.
“Once one goes in, then it will go all the way. That’s how it usually works,” Blitz said of the team’s offense, which has only put up one goal so far this season. Tonight, he said, was by far the best game of the season.
Dossey agreed, adding that the team “bounced back really, really well,” after last Saturday’s 0-6 loss against Colorado.
Missouri plays again at Audrey J. Walton Stadium this Sunday, 6:30 p.m. against TCU.
_Edited by Adam Cole | acole@themaneater.com_
