After two intense games last weekend at Robert R, Hermann Stadium, the Saint Louis University men’s soccer team walked off the field as Conference USA Tournament champions.
The title gave the Bills an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. Friday night, SLU defeated Memphis 3-2 in the C-USA Tournament semifinal.
Nick Walls connected in the ninth minute on a header from 10 yards out off a Joe Hammes cross. Walls misdirected the ball perfectly, heading it over the outstretched arms of the goalie and into the upper left corner of the net.
“Nick’s goal really gave us the momentum we needed and set the tempo for the rest of the match,” said Hammes.
Memphis answered 10 minutes later, with C-USA first-team selection Sean Fraser notching the score at 1-1. It was his 41st point of the season on 16 goals and nine assists.
With two minutes left before halftime, Vedad Alagic fed Brad Davis, whose 20-yard shot slid under the goalkeeper’s diving attempt to give the Billikens a 2-1 lead.
SLU increased its lead to 3-1 in the 52nd minute when Walls’ shot from 15 yards out was deflected, and Jackie Jewsbury slammed in the rebound.
Memphis would not give up, however, as the Tigers cut the SLU lead to 3-2 in the 70th minute.
SLU’s defense held up and the Billikens advanced to the championship.
In the final on Sunday, SLU wouldn’t disappoint.
The Billikens scored first in the 44th minute against UAB when Davis took an Andy Pusateri pass and connected from 15 yards out.
Pusateri took the ball from around the half mark and showed his speed, to get to the top of the 18-yard box, where he dished off to Davis.
“I’ve played with Andy a long time, and I’ve seen him make that run a thousand times,” said Davis.
“I knew if I hung out wide that he’d get me the ball. He did, and I was one-on-one with the keeper.”
In the 61st minute, Walls won possession and dished the ball off to Davis, who one-timed it through the defense to Alagic.
The senior froze the goalie and made a nice move from six yards out on the left side of the box to give SLU a 2-0 lead.
UAB responded in the 64th minute off a corner kick. Senior Paul Nagy, filling in for the injured John Politis, made a diving save, but UAB followed up and put it in the upper level of the goal. SLU played conservatively on offense for the remainder of the game, and the defense contained the Blazer offense.
Nagy cleared several corner kicks in the final ten minutes and the defense won all the head balls in the penalty box.
All three seniors stepped up their performance in SLU’s biggest game of the season.
“Hadican played very well. Nagy played spectacular in goal. And Vedad scored the game winner,” said head coach Bob Warming. “What more could I ask for from my seniors?”
The match was as physical as any the Bills have played this season. In total, there were nine yellow card infractions, with UAB holding the slight 5-4 edge.
A near melee ensued in the 58th minute when Marty Tappel was flagrantly taken down and both teams converged to the point of the foul.
Tim Sartori received a yellow card in defense of Tappel, and the UAB player received one as well.
When it was over, the Billikens had become the first team in C-USA history to win the regular season title outright and the postseason tournament.
For the C-USA Tournament, Walls was named the Most Valuable Forward, Davis the Most Valuable Midfielder and Hammes the Most Valuable Defender.
The C-USA Awards were given out this week, and SLU tops the league list.
Sophomore Jackie Jewsbury, who scored 31 points on 13 goals and five assists for the season, was named C-USA’s Player of the Year.
“It’s an honor, but our focus is on the NCAA Tournament, not personal awards,” said Jewsbury. “I have to build on my success and keep getting better for my junior and senior seasons.
“You can always finish more balls and get stronger and faster,” Jewsbury said.
Jewsbury was joined on the first-team by freshman Brad Davis and junior Joe Hammes.
Davis also won Freshman of the Year honors.
On the second-team, Mike Hill joined Cole and John Politis. Marty Tappel received third-team honors.
