For Mizzou’s first road test of the season, they made a short trip to face an in-state foe, the No. 23 Saint Louis Billikens. It was a competitive contest the whole way, but the Tigers ultimately came up short 1-0, moving to 1-1-1 on the season.
Sophomore defender McKenna Moran earned her first collegiate start in favor of junior midfielder Olivia Chianelli. It was clear from kickoff that head coach Stefanie Golan and her staff would lean on their defense.
Saint Louis wasted no time getting on the
scoreboard with a tricky goal from senior forward Rylee Howard in the fifth minute. Junior goalkeeper Kate Phillips was in a bad position to get a touch on the ball as it soared over her head from the left side of the field into the back right of the net.
Phillips and the defense tightened up after allowing the early goal, ending the first half down 1-0. The Tigers had six fewer shots than the Billikens at the half, with only two attempts.
Whatever the halftime speech was, it worked to a degree. Mizzou came out with much better energy and applied pressure in the attacking third. Sophomore forward Mia Devrouax specifically made a difference with her combination of speed and physicality.
The drawback to leaning heavily on the defensive end winning the match was less opportunities on offense. This is a match that Mizzou is going to want back after having a defensive masterclass in the final 80 minutes of play.
Golan’s crew did a good job of setting themselves up for a chance in the final 15 minutes of play by getting three corner kicks, but nothing converted inside the box. The physical aspect of this match was exciting on plays like those, but they may have been too aggressive at times, given their 17 fouls.
Odds and Ends
The Saint Louis offense had its fair share of chances to run up the score, but the Tigers stood strong in their defensive third by not allowing second-chance shot attempts. The Billikens’ 12 shot attempts, five on-goal, outmatched Mizzou’s production of seven shots, one on-goal.
Next up for the Tigers is another away match against No. 24 Memphis on Thursday, August 28 at 7:30 p.m. The other Tigers are currently 3-0, but squeaked by against Ole Miss in a 3-2 victory. It’s another opportunity for a much-needed statement win.
