Looks can be deceiving.

By looking at the numbers, it’s easy to underestimate the Saint
Louis University women’s soccer team this year. It’s easy to look
at last season’s 8-10-1 record and not expect to find a team
capable of great depth and leadership and it’s easy not to expect
to find threatening attackers and tenacious defenders.

But looks can be deceiving.

The Billikens were picked fifth in the Conference USA preseason
conference poll behind Marquette, defending C-USA champion
Cincinnati, Charlotte and UAB.

Despite being ranked in the middle of the conference, the
Billikens are a veteran team with nine seniors and nine returning
starters who will help stabilize the Bills while providing the
experience necessary to help the team advance in conference
play.

“This year’s team is different because we have nine seniors who
will provide a lot of leadership,” coach Tim Champion said. “All of
our seniors played a lot in the past and they will give us depth at
all positions.”

The Billikens are working to tighten and solidify their defense
to alleviate some of the pressure placed on goalkeeper Meghann
Burke last season and to help the team advance in conference play
this season.

“We need to be better defensively,” Champion said. “We can’t
give up goals like we did last year. We’re better in the air this
year and we have a lot of speed in back.”

Megan McNiff, Carrie Carlson and Tressa Pecher are slated to
anchor the backfield and provide the support necessary to allow the
midfield to focus on helping score.

Burke comes back to the Bills in phenomenal shape after playing
WUSA and W-League games. Burke trained tenaciously with the Memphis
Mercury and traveled across the United States, gaining experience
from playing with many World Cup-caliber and international
players.

The Billiken roster is fortified with the addition of two
transfers and 10 new freshmen. Sophomore Kara Kornfeld came to the
Bills from Indiana University where she started 15 of 17 games in
the backfield and is expected to be a contributor to the Billikens’
defense. Sophomore midfielder Kim Sinclair played in 11 matches at
Murray State last year and was named to the Ohio Valley Conference
All-Tournament team.

The addition of Sinclair, as well as the freshmen, will bolster
the offensive efforts of the Bills this season and will create more
scoring opportunities. Also, all of the returning Billikens are
returning to the team healthy, which will only help the team’s
campaign this season.

“(The freshmen and transfer students) will solidify the midfield
and give us a scoring punch up front,” Champion said. “For the
first time, Anny Lucier is coming back healthy. She can score goals
and take some of the pressure off Jamie Perry.”

Adding goal scorers is one of Champion’s main goals for the team
this season. Perry led the team in scoring last season with 11
goals and was second on the team in assists with four. Kehl and
Lucier chipped in five and four goals apiece and are expected to
contribute even more this season. The freshman class also will
provide additional attackers in the offense.

“Jamie Perry is a legitimate scorer, but we need to help her out
on top. Christie Cigno, a freshman, will be able to score some
goals, and Lindsay Potrafke is healthy this year. Jenny Kehl will
play mostly at midfield, but she will move up top a bit,” Champion
said.

With strong attackers and a tight defense, a conference crown is
not out of reach for the Billikens. This year’s team can turn heads
and prove their fifth place preseason ranking to be an
underestimate.