The Saint Louis University men’s soccer team redeemed themselves
with a 1-0 shutout win over Conference USA foe Creighton on
Saturday night, after playing to a 2-2 tie against Loyola last
week.

“We were disappointed after Wednesday,” coach Dan Donigan said
of the Billikens’ performance against Loyola.

Junior Ryan Wileman buried a shot in the 85th minute to give SLU
the victory.

Creighton, who played their way into the NCAA quarterfinals in
2003, set a physical tone early in the game. Donigan’s young back
line was able to respond and effectively shut down the Blue Jay
attack throughout the game.

“Any contest between two top-10 programs gets competitive,”
Donigan said.

The Bills’ defensive lineup featured two freshmen, Tim Ward and
Brandon Gasparovic, sophomore Mo Benne and senior transfer Brett
Branan. Ward and Branan controlled the air game in the defensive
third, and Gasparovic and Benne were able to mark effectively
throughout the first half, allowing only one Blue Jay shot in the
first 45 minutes.

“I have played college teams in the past, and this was not that
different,” Ward said. “This was not that different, maybe more
physical.”

“Tim was composed and gave us a weapon out of the back,” Donigan
said of Ward. “We’re comfortable with four in the back, and Ward
and Mo [Benne] are great servers of the ball.”

Ward was also effective in moving the ball up from the back,
especially to Will John, John DiRaimondo and Brendan Grazier.

John led all players at half-time with three shots, including
two in as many minutes. He blasted the first just wide right from
20 yards out and the second into the hands of Creighton keeper
Andrew Brown. SLU took a 5-1 shot advantage into halftime.

The Bills continued to control the game in the second half, and
the Billiken offense began to break through the Creighton back
line. The Bills fired two more shots at the Creighton goal before
Wileman pounded a shot into the net.

Wileman’s chance came from an Alex Matteson cross from the right
side. John received the ball at the top of the penalty area but was
hacked down before he had a chance to shoot. Wileman claimed the
loose ball and buried it from 18 yards out.

“My eyes got so big,” Wileman said. “We had been plugging away
all night; we were going to find something. It was only a matter of
time. It felt good to get a foot on it.”

Creighton’s best chance to respond came from a SLU foul with 30
seconds remaining in the game, but the Blue Jays squandered their
chance by putting the resulting free kick over the cross bar.

“Will (John) and Alex (Matteson) worked well together,” Donigan
said. “It definitely would have been a penalty kick, but both teams
showed good instincts to keep playing.”

Wileman established himself as a dependable player in his
sophomore season in 2003 and helped fill the hole left by the
absence of Vedad Ibisevic. Junior Jeff Sackman started in the net
and was relieved at half time by freshman Pat Disbennett, but
Sackman returned after Disbennett was injured in the 66th minute.
Neither SLU goalkeeper recorded a save, but still combined for the
shutout. Sackman started in place of senior Martin Hutton for the
second time during the exhibition season. Hutton is recovering from
abdominal surgery and will not play before the regular season
starts. Hutton is a preseason All-Conference selection.

“It was a good result tonight,” Donigan said. “It was good to
help the development of this team. We have one more before the
start of the regular season.”

SLU will host the Northwerstern Wildcats in their final
exhibition game of the season. Kick-off is at 7 p.m. at Robert R.
Hermann Stadium.