Hogs Dominate Missouri State in NCAA Tournament Opener
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – No. 3 seed Arkansas (12-3-4) advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after defeating Missouri State 6-0 Friday night at Razorback Field.
Senior forward Jessica De Filippo led the Hogs with three goals, the program’s first hat trick since 2019.
First Half
The Razorbacks got off to their strongest start of the season and scored three goals in the first six minutes of the match, including the earliest goal of the year.
Junior forward Ava Tankersley found the back of the net just 26 seconds after the first touch. Freshman Ainsley Erzen was responsible for getting the ball to Tankersley after she whipped the ball in the box the near side of the field. Tankersley redirected the cross with her head for her eighth goal of the season.
The next two goals came within 45 seconds of each other, the first by De Filippo and the second by junior midfielder Ellie Podojil.
De Filippo received a ball from forward Anna Podojil outside the top of the 18-yard box, where she fired a right-footed shot across the ground. Missouri State goalkeeper Cameille Day attempted to save the shot but failed after her hand redirected the ball into the lower left part of the net.
Ellie Podojil snuck her third goal of the season in after she took the Hogs’ second corner kick of the match. Instead of sending it into the box, she opted to get it to freshman Zoe Susi, who was close by and passed it back to Podojil on the near side of the 18-yard box. With plenty of space, she immediately fired the ball into the box where several Razorbacks were waiting to make contact, though none was needed.
The fourth and final goal of the first half came in the 16th minute on De Filippo’s second of the match. The Hogs went into break tied with their largest halftime lead of the season.
Second Half
The Razorbacks did not let up and put away two more goals in the remaining 45 minutes.
De Filippo’s hat trick goal came with 10 minutes to play off another rocket from outside the 18-yard box. Defender Bryana Hunter had the ball inside the box but played it back to De Filippo. Her low and powerful boot flew past the MSU keeper and into the right corner of the net.
Junior Mia Wehby netted the final goal, the first of her career, with just 21 seconds to play after heading in a cross from sophomore Keller Matise.
“We knew we were going to be buzzing a little bit and that’s how it played out,” Arkansas coach Colby Hale said after the match. “The service and the runs in the box, we just put stuff on frame and we were good on sets. When we are buzzing like that, we’re going to score some goals.”
The Razorback’s six goals, along with De Filippo’s hattrick, are program bests in an NCAA Tournament game.
Arkansas allowed just one shot from Missouri State while firing off 36.
Next Up
The Hogs will make their fifth straight second round appearance on Friday, Nov. 19, and face 6-seed Ohio State (11-5-3) at a location to be determined by the result of Saint Louis-Memphis on Saturday.
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