Missouri soccer struggled to put shots on goal, continuing a streak of flat offensive performances, as it fell 2-0 to Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana on Saturday afternoon.
Only able to place three shots on goal the entire match, the Tigers’ offense paled in comparison to the Fighting Irish, who leveraged their nine shots on goal into two goals.
Missouri hasn’t taken more than nine shots in a game during the spring season, a troubling statistic given the experience and depth of the team’s attacking pieces. Of the nine total shots that Missouri attempted in the game, a third came in the first 20 minutes. Then, Notre Dame began to dominate the attack.
The Tigers have scored just one goal in the last three matches, a tap-in from junior standout, forward Julissa Cisneros in a late February bout against Creighton. That being said, Cisneros’ name has been uncharacteristically absent from any scoring plays the last two games, despite her six shots in them.
Defensively, Missouri has developed some favorites on the back line. Senior Momola Adesanmi and freshman Grace Pettet both played all 90 minutes.
Missouri’s sophomore goalkeeper Isabella Alessio showed up in goal with six saves in the game, including a particularly impressive diving save in the 73rd minute to prevent a third Notre Dame goal. Alessio finished the game with a 75% save percentage.
The Fighting Irish continued their defensive dominance in this one, logging their sixth shutout in as many games this season.
Moving forward, Missouri looks to heal its offensive woes by providing more support to Cisneros at the top. It is possible that the loss of winger Zoe Cross this winter to Lewes FC, a professional team in the Isthmian League Premier Division, will open the door for young faces to step up and provide that support.
With three freshmen receiving more than 30 minutes of time on the pitch, it appears that Missouri coach Bryan Blitz might be looking for just that player.
The Tigers’ next match comes March 28 against Kansas State in Columbia.
With zero goals in their two games this spring, the Tigers hope to capitalize on a team that appears dormant thus far.
_Edited by Kyle Pinnell | kpinnell@themaneater.com_