The Saint Louis University men’s soccer team (3-1-0) returned
home on Friday with hopes to open the regular season with three
straight wins, but No. 24 Southern Methodist University (4-1-0)
stood in their way. In spite of their loss to the Mustangs, the
Bills managed to salvage the weekend with a victory over No. 11
powerhouse Virginia.
In their match-up against the Cavaliers of the University of
Virginia, the Billikens controlled play early in the game. It took
senior Ryan Wileman just over two minutes to launch the first shot
of the game and only two and a half more to fire his second.
The Bills’ first-half prowess included both offensive and
defensive superiority over the No. 11 Cavaliers. Sophomore Casey
Spiess clamped down on Virginia freshman Nico Colaluca after
Colaluca fouled him hard early in the first half, and the Bills
held the Cavaliers to four shots on goal in the game.
In the offensive half, sophomores John DiRaimondo and Will John
combined to score twice. The first came in the 41st minute, when
DiRaimondo took possession of the ball in midfield and moved it
forward to John on a run into the right side penalty area. John
fired a shot from 12 yards out into the left side of the net, to
give the Bills a 1-0 lead.
SLU responded with even greater intensity to a cleats-high slide
tackle that left senior Brett Branan shaken up on the ground in the
42nd minute. With 52 seconds left in the half, DiRaimondo once
again took possession of the ball in the midfield and found John on
a run to the net. John unleashed a shot from 16 yards out, beating
Virginia goalkeeper Ryan Burke for John’s second goal of the season
and his sixth this season.
“To be successful, we need to score,” said John. “Johnny
[DiRaimondo] set me up with two perfect assists.”
DiRaimondo and John were each expected to make up for the
production lost when Vedad Ibisevic left SLU to play for Pierre-St.
Germain. John leads the team with 12 points (6G, 1A), and
DiRaimondo is second with seven (3G, 1A).
Virginia responded quickly, by making the most of a Branan foul
just outside the SLU penalty area. The Cavaliers’ Hunter Freeman
chipped the restart over the Billiken wall and Matt Oliver played a
header into the back of the net.
“People have always said that a 2-0 lead is the most dangerous
lead to have,” Donigan said. “Once the other team gets their first
goal, it’s hard to hold them back.”
Virginia continued to dictate the pace of play throughout the
rest of the game, but Disbennett’s three saves and strong play
along the Billiken back line held the Cavaliers to one goal,
preserving the SLU victory.
“It was a tough game; Virginia is a tough team and it took a
collective effort,” John said.
“It’s a great feeling to know we can put it in the back of the
net,” DiRaimondo said. “We all feel that we’re playing well and
stepped up to the challenge.”
Just two days earlier, SMU held off the Billikens 1-0 in
overtime, but the Bills’ inability to score was not because of a
lack of chances. SLU fired off 17 shots, putting 10 on the net.
The SLU attack started early, as they possessed the ball in the
attacking half of the field throughout the most of the first half.
DiRaimondo and John combined early to set up junior Wileman on two
chances from the middle of the penalty area; but SMU goalkeeper
T.J. Tomasso managed to save both shots.
“He’s [Wileman] the captain and his leadership role has stepped
up his play,” said coach Dan Donigan.
Tomasso was also able to snag what may have been the Bills’ best
chance at a goal. Sophomore Brian Grazier combined with John to set
up sophomore Alex Matteson on a run to the net. Matteson took a
shot from the left side of the penalty area, but it sailed directly
into Tomasso’s hands.
SLU pressure on the goal continued into the second half, but
still could not tally a goal. John was able to beat the SMU back
line and bury the ball into the net in the 75th minute, but the
goal was called back because John was caught offside.
half, but freshman goalie Pat Disbennett was able to clamp down and
keep SMU off of the scoreboard in regulation. Disbennett is filling
in for junior Jeff Sackman, who was sidelined with a knee
injury.
The Bills saw several opportunities in overtime, including a
25-yard shot that freshman Brandon Gasparavic launched on goal,
which Tomasso pushed over the crossbar.
With just under six minutes left in the first overtime, play was
stopped for an injured Mustang near midfield.
The Bills worked the ball back to Spiess after the restart.
Spiess then tried to pass the ball to Gasparovic, but it died along
the way and the ball was picked up by Dario Saintus and brought in
on Disbennett in a two-on-one situation.
Saintus pushed the ball along to Duke Hashimoto, who fired the
game-winner into the net.
“We played well enough to win tonight,” Donigan said.
“I’m not disappointed at all. I’m excited about the
opportunities we created tonight. I thought we played well, but we
couldn’t finish. We probably played one of our best games so far
this season. It gets frustrating, but we need to put it aside and
play through it. I don’t think twice about having that kid [Spiess]
back there for 90 minutes.”
The Billikens travel to St. John’s in New York to play George
Mason University on Friday night and No. 7 St. John’s on
Saturday.
The most recent polls find SLU still in holding to their spot in
the top ten at No. 10.
“I’m pleased with the way we played this weekend, but we have to
turn around and play Friday and Saturday,” Donigan said.
“We played well enough to be 4-0, but I like to take 3-1.”
