Spring is a time to put the team puzzle together differently.
The Saint Louis University women’s soccer team has been experimenting by playing nearly every player at multiple positions with its eyes to next season.
“It’s an opportunity for us to play people at different spots and we can see what they can do,” said coach Tim Champion.
SLU played its first home games of the spring season last Saturday against the Indiana Hoosiers and the Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Cougars. Even though the Billikens outplayed the Hoosiers, the contest ended in a scoreless tie.
Indiana had the first scoring opportunity four minutes into the contest. The Hoosiers played an indirect kick from 40 yards out on goal. Junior sweeper Megan McNiff headed the shot out.
The Hoosiers regained possession, but fired a shot high over the crossbar.
The Billikens generated opportunities by moving the ball on the ground while clamping down on defense and limiting Indiana’s offense.
SLU’s first goal came two minutes into the second half. Freshman forward Jamie Perry led junior midfielder Erin Schwetye up the sideline. Schwetye hit a curving shot on goal that the keeper knocked away.
As that chance seemed to end, SLU regained possession and took a shot that Indiana deflected straight up. Sophomore forward Anny Lucier attempted a header, but Indiana’s goalie came out for the save.
In the second game, SLU dominated play and possession and frustrated SIUE by allowing few scoring chances. Much of the game was played in the Billikens’ offensive half of the field.
SLU took advantage of its superior athleticism early. Perry and junior midfielder Jenny Kehl executed a give-and-go that opened Perry up for a shot at the top of the box. That play energized SLU’s offense and the Billikens applied pressure on the Cougars’ defense.
That pressure translated into an offensive explosion for SLU. Sophomore back Carrie Carlson headed a Cougar clearing pass down to sophomore midfielder Molly Schoeplein on the near side 21 minutes into the game. She passed up to Carlson along the near sideline.
Carlson took a shot from the near post that was stopped, but SIUE’s keeper was unable to secure the rebound.
The ball trickled across the goal, and sophomore Lindsay Potrafke tapped it in for a 1-0 lead.
SLU added to its lead early in the second half. Kehl maneuvered through three Cougar defenders and broke in alone on SIUE’s keeper. Kehl easily scored past SIUE’s stunned keeper for a 2-0 lead 67 minutes into the game.
A Cougar miscue led to SLU’s next goal. After SIUE failed to clear the ball out, and Schoeplein dribbled up to the endline and centered across to Kehl, who scored again for a 3-0 lead.
Potrafke made SLU 4-0. Carlson hit a through ball on the ground to Perry. She took a low shot on the near side of the bottom of the near post. The ball bounced across the goal mouth and rolled to Potrafke, who tapped in the fourth goal.
SLU’s final tally came with five minutes left in the game. SLU hit a through ball to Lucier. Her initial shot was stopped by the keeper, but Lucier regained possession and rolled it in past a rushing SIUE defender for a 5-0 win.
“We moved the ball well. Today was a good chance to get our freshmen and players who don’t get much playing time a chance to play,” Champion said. “We were more organized on defense, and I was happy with our work rate. We worked hard in both games. Mandy Trokey played well at the wide back. Beth Nabozny has played well all spring at center back.”
The Billikens continue their spring season on the road with a contest against the Indiana State Sycamores in Terre Haute, Ind. on April 6.
