Sometimes it just doesn’t come together. And no one knows why.
After a hard-fought regular season, the women’s soccer team lost in the first round of the Conference USA Tournament to Cincinnati 2-0 at Valley Fields on Marquette’s campus. Saint Louis University finished the season 8-10-1 overall.
The Billikens sustained constant pressure throughout the game and were outshot 19-5. The Bearcats capitalized on a corner kick to score the game-winner.
Cincinnati was aggressive early, but the Billikens withstood the challenge. The Bearcats scored on their first solid chance 11 minutes into the game. Tasha Wagner hit a short corner kick to Rachel Lieberman. Lieberman hit a cross into the box. Lisa Stephens gained control of the ball in the box and drove a low shot into the left corner.
Junior Meghann Burke made five saves in the first half, as SLU was outshot 13-1 in the first half.
The Bearcats added an insurance goal 15 minutes into the second half. Heather Herweh lifted the ball to the left side of the box. Burke came out to play the ball. Ann Thomas jumped in at the last second and redirected the shot. Thomas headed the ball past Burke for a 2-0 win.
SLU lost the final game of the regular season at Robert R. Hermann Stadium to Wisconsin 4-3 last Sunday, Senior Day.
SLU jumped out to a 1-0 lead 13 minutes into the first half. Freshman Jamie Perry hit a pass up to junior midfielder Jenny Kehl. She beat a defender and moved into the box. Wisconsin keeper Kelly Conway came out and Kehl got her to commit. Conway dove in vain to stop Kehl. Kehl easily slid around the keeper and scored as Badger defenders rushed back on too late.
Wisconsin tied the match three minutes later. Molly Meuer scored unassisted on a high shot inside the near post over junior Meghann Burke’s hand.
The Badgers took a 2-1 lead two minutes later. Lauren Schmidt’s first shot hit the cross bar and bounced straight down. Meuer headed home the rebound.
The Billikens knotted the game at two, nine minutes later. Sophomore forward Anny Lucier hit a center pass to Perry. Perry found Kehl on the right side. Kehl broke in up the far side. Conway came out and Kehl hit a shot across the goal and went in past the near post.
The game remained tied until early in the second half. Perry gave SLU a 3-2 lead three minutes into the second half. Perry corralled a high pass and chested it over to Lucier.
Lucier hit a lead pass that found Perry in stride. She beat a defender and then the goalie in a one-on-one situation. She scored inside the near right post.
Wisconsin tied the match eight minutes later off a deadball. Natalie Roedler hit a deadball through SLU’s defensive wall inside the far post.
Wisconsin took the lead for good with eight minutes left in the game. Schmidt controlled the ball after a Badger cross and headed a shot in off the bottom of the crossbar and just over Burke’s hand for the 4-3 win.
The Billikens nearly tied the contest in the final seconds. SLU gained possession with 13 seconds left and quickly moved the ball up the field. Kehl had a throw-in and SLU was able to get an arching shot on goal. Lucier ran on goal and attempted to head in the shot. But Conway and Lucier both played the ball at the same time and Conway was able to get enough on her save attempt to knock away the scoring chance.
“We gave up too much defensively,” said coach Tim Champion. “You can’t score three goals at home and lose. We need to get to the point where we’re better on deadballs. But our strikers played well.”
