The Billikens put on a shooting clinic rivaling the shooting of the fireworks display in their 4-2 victory over the University of Nebraska-Omaha (UNO) in the Sept. 27 homecoming match. SLU out-shot the Mavericks 29-6, and improved their record to 5-5; UNO fell to 2-8. This game against the Mavs was the last nonconference game for SLU this season.
Despite the amount of shooting and final outcome, UNO was first, and last, to strike in the game. The first goal came at the 4:32 mark. UNO’s Chelsi Rolhoff netted a shot from 20 yards out to give the Mavs a 1-0 lead.
However, in less time than the first goal took, SLU had the equalizer, coming just after the eight-minute mark. Sophomore forward Kirsten Clemens found the back-left side of the net on a rebound. This was Clemens’ fifth goal of the season. She also had a career high seven shots in the match, which is also the team high in a single game so far this season.
10 minutes before the break in play, junior forward Livi Logan-Wood added the go-ahead goal on an assist from freshman midfielder Lauren Tondl. Tondl played the ball to Logan-Wood on the run, who capitalized on the play and gave SLU a 2-1 lead going into halftime.
Logan-Wood added her second goal of the game, a header in the 52nd minute, to give SLU a 3-1 lead. Freshman midfielder Molly Ream and senior defender Mary Wright assisted the goal. Logan-Wood’s two goals in this game marked the second two-goal game for a player this season for the Bills; senior Lindsay Elking did the same at Illinois-Chicago, the week prior. Logan-Wood now has three goals total on the season. Logan-Wood had two more shots in the game, one of them on frame.
Following a number of shots by SLU and a lot of play inside UNO’s box, the Mavs goalie was caught too far out making a play on the ball. Freshman forward Danielle Manning capitalized, feeding freshman forward Jordan Catalano the ball for the insurance goal at the 81:31 mark. The score was Catalano’s first collegiate goal.
UNO kept the game alive, showing life and adding their second goal of the game with 13 seconds left, but the effort was not enough, and the Bills came out on top 4-2.
Throughout most of the second half, SLU dominated possession, the ball seldom crossing into their own half of the field. A majority of the play took place around UNO’s 18-yard box, demonstrating the high pressure, intensity and constant scoring threat that the Billikens put on the Mavericks. UNO’s goalie notched 11 total saves on the match.
Though she didn’t score, sophomore Christina Rodriguez had a career-high five shots.
The Bills open Atlantic 10 conference play this Saturday, Oct. 4, on the road, at Dayton. Dayton was the regular season A-10 champion last season and is the favorite to win again this year. However, SLU returned nine starters from last season’s team that tied for second in the conference, going 5-2-1. The Bills were picked to finish fourth in the conference by A-10 coaches in a poll taken prior to the start of the season. Wright was selected a preseason All-Conference player as well.
In the A-10, SLU currently has the most corner kicks per game at 6.11, and stacks up in third in assists per game with 1.67, and shots at 16.56. Rhode Island, one of the two conference opponents SLU does not play, has the best nonconference record at 8-1. SLU’s 5-5 puts them seventh of 10 teams in the conference.
Saint Louis’ first three conference games are all road contests and span just eight days. Following the Oct. 4 game at Dayton, SLU travels east to take on George Mason and Saint Joseph’s in Fairfax, Va., and Philadelphia respectively, on Oct. 10 and 12.
The Billikens play the first of their four home conference games against Fordham on Oct. 17. They face La Salle two days later, at Hermann Stadium, on Oct. 19.
Conference play wraps up Nov. 2, when the team hosts George Washington. The single-elimination A-10 Conference Championship tournament this season will be hosted by Dayton and runs Nov. 6-9.