December 8 (1973 and 2024)

In 1973, Kevin Missey scores twice and Mark LeGrand adds another as the University of Missouri-St. Louis wins the NCAA Division II championship with 3-0 win over California State-Fullerton at Springfield, Mass. Fifty-one years later, Washington University’s women win the NCAA Division III championship by the same score, 3-0, over William Smith in Las Vegas. For UMSL, two outstanding saves from goalkeeper Frank Tusinski keep the Titans off the scoreboard in the first 33 minutes. Missey, a midfielder, opens the scoring in the 41st minute off a pass from Ed Fleming. LeGrand, also a midfielder, scores on a rebound just three minutes later to put the Rivermen up, 2-0, at halftime. Missey, who will be named the tournament’s most outstanding player and who will be the only three-time All-American in the history of UMSL men’s soccer, drives home a 25-yard free kick in the 80th minute. Missey’s two goals in the final are twice as many as he had in UMSL’s previous 13 games. LeGrand also had only one goal coming into the final. “We really controlled things,” UMSL head coach Don Dallas says. “The same thing has been happening all year.” The Rivermen finish with an 11-0-3 record. The championship is UMSL’s only men’s or women’s NCAA soccer crown. Cal-State Fullerton, coached by former St. Louisan Dennis Checkett, ends its season with a 16-3-0 record. For Washington U., three different players score against William Smith. One of them is freshman Olivia Clemons, who notches her team-leading 22nd goal. The unbeaten Bears finish with a 23-0-2 record, the first undefeated season in the program’s history. The 2024 champions also set WU women’s soccer records for most single-season wins and shutouts (18). After being ranked second in the preseason poll, the Bears were ranked first in the nation in Division III women’s soccer throughout the regular season. The NCAA soccer title is the second for WU’s women, who also won in 2016.