Missouri Soccer Falls 3-0 to No. 17 South Carolina, Slips to 0-3 in SEC

Missouri stayed level for 40 minutes before the 17th-ranked Gamecocks pulled away with three goals, leaving the Tigers 0-3 in conference play ahead of an Oct. 2 trip to Arkansas.

Missouri soccer's wait for its first Southeastern Conference result of the season goes on. The Tigers fell 3-0 to No. 17 South Carolina, a defeat that dropped them to 0-3 in league play and 3-7-1 overall. All three of those conference defeats have come in succession to open the schedule.

Missouri's defense held firm for the game's first 40 minutes against the ranked Gamecocks. The Tigers withstood eight South Carolina shots in the opening half and kept the match scoreless deep into the period, an effort that finally gave way just before the break.

South Carolina broke through in the 41st minute. Wynn Generally played a through ball that split the Missouri back line and found Kinley Brown making a run, and Brown finished across the goal to beat senior goalkeeper Kate Phillips. The Gamecocks carried a 1-0 lead into halftime.

Falling behind forced a shift in approach, with Missouri pushing forward for a goal instead of sitting back and absorbing pressure. Sophomore Landis Canada recorded a shot shortly after the restart, but the Tigers' search for an equalizing goal proved fruitless.

The Gamecocks doubled their lead in the 71st minute from a corner. A short pass on the set piece turned into a cross toward the box, where Reagan Chubach met the ball with her head and steered it into the net. Corners have been a trouble spot for Missouri all season and a recurring factor in its heaviest defeats. Against South Carolina, the Tigers conceded six corner kicks, one of which produced the goal, and failed to limit the chances generated from them.

A third goal in less than 10 minutes after the second decided the outcome. Forward Autumn Cayelli found herself isolated in a one-on-one against defender Morgan Meador, dribbled around her and slotted a finish into the top corner of the goal to complete the 3-0 scoreline.

Generating offense remained the Tigers' bigger concern. Missouri managed just five shots in the match to South Carolina's 16, and only one of those was on target. The South Carolina goalkeeper finished the game without a save to make. Canada led the way with two shots, one in each half.

Despite the final margin, the Missouri defense had its positives. McKenna Moran, Mia Yang and Meador each played the full 90 minutes, helping contain a South Carolina attack that has already produced 22 goals this season, and the trio has continued to build consistency as a defensive group.

Missouri now continues its road swing with a shorter drive down to Fayetteville for a matchup with Arkansas on Oct. 2. A win there would give the Tigers their first tally in the SEC column in what has been a difficult start to conference play.