Columbia, Mo. ? As the No. 13 overall seed in the NCAA Women’s Soccer Tournament, Kansas University will be the home team on the scoreboard when it faces unseeded Missouri in a second-round game today, but Maggie Mason knows “home team” is merely a technicality.

She said she expects the black-and-gold-clad Tiger fans will make sure the Jayhawks feel anything but welcome during their 1 p.m. game at the Audrey J. Walton Soccer Complex on the Missouri campus.

Saturday’s practice was bad enough.

“They had a football game, and some tailgaters came over and shouted some obscene things,” said Mason, a senior defender. “And the Antlers came over and tried to get on the field like they were makeshift media.

“Yeah, we’re gonna be the home team, but it’s kind of funny because we’re clearly not.”

Kansas (17-5-1) had its right to be a host site revoked because its facility, SuperTarget Field, does not meet NCAA requirements to hold postseason play. That’s why the game is at Mizzou (12-10-1).

It won’t be unfamiliar territory for Kansas, however. The Jayhawks won a regular-season meeting in Columbia last month, 2-0. That game heated what already was a bitter rivalry.

With eight minutes remaining in the game, Mizzou freshman Elyse Nikonchuck was ejected after tackling KU freshman midfielder Michelle Rasmussen with her cleats up. The tackle broke Rasmussen’s leg and ended her season. It’s something the Jayhawks haven’t forgotten.

“Every game she’s definitely missed,” KU freshman forward Jessica Kilpatrick said, “and we want to get one back for her.”

Toppling the Tigers on their own field twice in one season won’t be easy. For starters, they have won six of their last eight games, including three against top-25 teams. They’re also playing better than the first time they faced Kansas.

Additionally, the health of the Jayhawks’ standout forward, sophomore Caroline Smith, is in question. She wore a bulky brace on her right knee during Friday’s 3-1 win against Illinois State. Still, Smith insists she’s fine.

“(It’s) nothing new; just banged up a little,” Smith said of the injury. “I’ll be ready to go Sunday.”

A healthy Smith certainly would help Kansas’ cause. She has accounted for 18 of KU’s 43 goals this season, as well as 36 percent of the team’s total offense the last two seasons.

The Jayhawks are 9-1 in games in which Smith has scored this season, so theysurely will be hopeful that she’ll find the back of the net one more time and send them to the next round.

“I’d be more satisfied with going to the Sweet 16 than just beating Missouri,” Mason said. “Whoever we need to take out along the way, we’re here to win. That’s the name of the game.”