Heavy rotation leads to 3-0 victory
Less than 24 hours after losing 3-0 to California, Missouri's soccer team flipped the script Sunday with a 3-0 win against Eastern Washington.
Playing on back-to-back days for the first time in team history, MU (2-2-0) got second half goals from freshman Kelsey Blincow, sophomore Alysha Bonnick and junior Kristin Andrighetto. After leading the Tigers in goals last year, Andrighetto’s goal was her first this season.
Missouri dominated Eastern Washington in shots (35-8) and shots on goal (13-5). Though she didn’t start, Bonnick had five shots on goal. The Tigers had six corner kicks, while the Eagles had none.
MU’s high-pressure attack forces coach Bryan Blitz to rotate players frequently, and Blitz did more substituting than usual Sunday. No player other than junior goalkeeper Tasha Dittamore played all 90 minutes.
After not playing against California Saturday, sophomore midfielder Kelsey Stokes saw a season-high 48 minutes. Freshmen Kendra Collins, Mallory Stipetich, Blincow, Candace Ruff and Jessie Crabtree combined to play 198 minutes.
Blitz usually plays his starting defenders - seniors Kat Tarr and Janelle Cordia and junior Crystal Wagner - the entire game, but each player saw minutes in the mid-70s against Eastern Washington.
Dittamore recorded five saves en route to her second shutout of the season. Junior Michelle Collins, who injured her hamstring last Friday against Auburn, did not play in either of Missouri’s games this weekend.
