A marathon road stretch for the Saint Louis University Women’s
Soccer team finally came to an end last Sunday after a weekend
spent in the Carolinas. In their two games, the Billikens played
both East Carolina and Charlotte in a span of three days for a tie
and a loss respectively.

This put the team at 3-2-1 in the past six games, all of which
were played away from home.

“We didn’t play our best ever. It was the end of a three-week
road trip and we were all mentally tired,” said senior defensive
back Anny Lucier. “It’s always tough to loose conference games; but
the trip could have been worse.”

Friday night’s tie against East Carolina University ended with a
score of 1-1.

The Bills had held the lead for the majority of the game until
the 81st minute when Megan McCallion of the Pirates slipped a
header past goalie Amanda Martin.

SLU’s lone goal had come early on from junior Jamie Perry. After
Christie Cigno had fed Perry the ball at the top of the box, ECU
defenders quickly converged and took her out leading to a foul and
a penalty kick. Perry converted the PK making for the 28th goal of
her career, which ties a school record.

Neither team had a shot in the first overtime, but the Bills had
one final chance during the final OT when freshman Dee Guempel sent
a cross into Courtney Hulcer, who missed the shot, just wide right
of goal, leaving the game in a deadlock.

Just two days later the team travelled down the road to
Charlotte for an afternoon Conference USA matchup. SLU controlled
the midfield for the first half but to no fruition. The Bills
outshout the 49ers; but Charlotte produced the first half’s only
goal. With five minutes left until halftime the Niners’ Megan
Terlip found junior Kim Miles who dropped a ball just over Martin’s
head from 18 yards out.

The Bills tied the game just six minutes into the second half.
Sophomore Christie Cigno met a through ball from Maureen Hughes and
netted her sixth goal of the season. The tie would not last and in
the 57th minute a mis-play from Martin lead to a goal from
Charlotte’s Lindsay Duncan, which proved to be the game winner,
with the 49ers the victors at 2-1.

SLU’s overall road record is now 3-3-2, but not at all telling
of how they play at home, where they remain undefeated making for
an overall mark of 8-3-2. The Bills currently find themselves in
the middle of the conference race with five of six remaining games
against Conference USA opponents, four of which will be played at
Robert R. Hermann stadium.

“We’re excited to finally be home. This weekend will be huge; we
just need to take it as a refresher, then we can get going for the
next road trip,” Lucier said of the upcoming games.

This weekend the Bills get a chance to get back on the winning
track and gain ground in the C-USA standings when they will play
host to the Louisville Cardinals on Friday and the Bearcats from
Cincinnati on Sunday.

“Cincinnati is always a big game, they may be below us in the
standings but it’s never tough to get up for such a big rivalry,”
Lucier said. “It’s important we just play our game to get the best
possible seed in the conference tournament and get into the
NCAAs.”

The Billikens are looking to get back to their winning ways
against Louisville and Cincinnati. And that is all the more
important because SLU is undefeated at Robert R. Hermann stadium
this season, and looks to stay that way.

Weekend Double-header

Who: Louisville Cardinals

When: Saturday, 7 p.m.
Where: Robert R. Hermann Stadium