This weekend, everything was perfect.
The Saint Louis University women’s soccer team opened the season with a perfect weekend, highlighted by two shutouts, a hat trick and one of the biggest overtime wins in program history.
Sunday, the Billikens edged past Vanderbilt 1-0 during overtime to improve their record to 2-0 after a win Friday night at home against Drury.
In the first half against Vanderbilt, Jamie Perry looked to ignite the Billikens’ offense early in the game after receiving a long punt from goalkeeper Meghann Burke in front of Vanderbilt’s goal. Perry drove a shot at the net but Vandy’s goalkeeper Esther Thompson punched it out.
Tressa Pecher gave the Bills their second chance to score of the match when she headed a ball off a corner kick towards the goal, but Thompson made the save and held the Billikens scoreless.
Vanderbilt kept the Billikens on the defensive position throughout the majority of the game and nearly slipped a shot past SLU’s defense in the 68th minute. Katherine Carroll blasted a shot at the Bills’ net but did not get past Burke. Burke barely got her fingers on the ball and tapped it against the bottom of the crossbar. The ball bounced off the crossbar out of the goal and was cleared out of the box by sweeper Megan McNiff.
“Defensively, we played extremely well,” said coach Tim Champion. “Meghann Burke played the best game I’ve seen her play in four years, not just in terms of great saves, but she took complete control of the backfield.”
Later in the half, the Bills had a chance to surpass Vandy’s defense when Anny Lucier challenged Thompson. Lucier tried to beat Thompson for the goal, but Thompson managed to get her fingers on the ball, forcing Lucier’s shot to go wide.
In overtime, the Bills pressured Vandy offensively early in the period and forced a corner kick that would lead to the game winning shot. Perry put the ball into play and found Christie Cigno, who headed the ball towards the goal. The ball hit the bottom of the crossbar and landed at the feet of Pecher barely two yards in front of the goal line. Pecher drove the ball through a pack of defenders to record both her first career goal and the game-winning shot.
“[Pecher’s goal] was a great goal. Vanderbilt is a great team, and to beat them on the road was a great win. It was one of the best wins we’ve had in the program since I’ve been here,” Champion said.
Burke tallied three saves and her second shutout of the weekend, earning her Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Burke’s first shutout of the weekend came Friday night at the home opener when the Billikens breezed past Drury in the regular season opener.
“Christie Cigno had a great weekend and Jenny Kehl had a very good weekend also,” Champion said. “We’re getting more attack from our wide midfielders like Katie Zaegel, Mandy Trokey and Erin Schwetye.”
The Billikens utilized their entire offense to push past Drury, but it was Perry who led the Bills offensively, opening the season with a hat trick.
Perry’s first goal came in the 26th minute when Jenny Kehl found Katie Zaegel coming up the near side. Zaegel crossed the ball to Perry who headed it past keeper Jennie Grib.
The second goal of the game came in the second half from the Kehl-Perry duo. Perry dribbled towards Grib, who came out, but reacted too early and was on the ground as Perry nudged the ball into the goal.
Perry completed her hat trick with a pass from Lucier that she blasted into the net to seal the win for the Billikens.
This weekend, the Billikens host the annual Toys for Tots Women’s Soccer Classic at Robert R. Hermann Stadium. Admission will be $10 each day or free with a new, unwrapped toy to donate.
The Billikens look to improve their perfect record against Army Friday night at 8 p.m. and Sunday at noon against Navy.
