After opening the season with a heartbreaking overtime loss at home to Oklahoma 2-1, the Saint Louis University women’s soccer team rebounded for a 3-1 victory over Rice on the road.
The women’s soccer team opened its season against Oklahoma last Friday. The game featured great defense and brilliant goalkeeping for the first 86 minutes of play. In the 87th minute, however, SLU grabbed a 1-0 lead on a rebound in front of the goal by sophomore midfielder Mary Green. A transfer from Florida, Green booted the ball into the net after a free kick from junior midfielder Courtney Hulcer left the Oklahoma keeper out of position.
The lead would be short-lived, as OU tied the game in the 88th minute on a deflection off the left post. Oklahoma would score the winning goal in the 110th minute of the match on a rebound off a free kick.
“I just think that we needed to focus a little bit more. It was the first game and we scored a big goal,” senior goalkeeper Amanda Martin said. “We just needed to continue to focus.”
The Billikens had several opportunities to put the game away in the second half. With the score 0-0, SLU was denied twice by OU defenders after their goalie was taken out of the play.
“We got a little bit ahead of ourselves,” senior forward Kelly Ferguson said. “It starts in the front from the forwards to the midfielders to the backs. We thought it was over, but we didn’t follow through all the way.”
Still, the Billikens took much from this loss.
“We learned that a game is never over until the final whistle blows, and that one loss cannot ruin your season,” Martin said. “We have an entire season ahead of us.”
The season resumed with SLU traveling to Houston, Texas, for its road debut against Rice. Despite falling behind early 1-0, the Billikens responded convincingly. Freshman Caroline Sweeney tied the game in the 33rd minute after the Owls’ keeper failed to corral a cross from freshman back Allison Sole.
Remaining aggressive offensively, SLU was rewarded in the 78th minute.
Hulcer’s corner kick from the right side of the field found Ferguson, who headed the ball into the far post to give SLU a 2-1 lead.
“We had the attitude that we weren’t going to lose,” Ferguson said. “That’s [why] we came back from an early deficit.”
The Billikens would not let up in this game.
SLU put the game out of reach three minutes later, when sophomore Cassi Winchel received a pass from fellow sophomore Liz Fox and placed the ball in the lower right corner of the net, to give her team a 3-1 lead.
“We stayed focused the entire game,” Martin said. “Even after going down 1-0 early in the game, we fought back and knocked off a great team.”
Both the defense and the offense played superbly. After allowing an early goal, the Billiken defense shut Rice down for the rest of the game, while the offense played relentlessly for 90 minutes.
“Our defense stepped up and played very well,” Ferguson said. “It was pretty much a team effort.”
“The key to victory was teamwork, and it is the key to victory in every game,” Martin said. “The bottom line is that we found a way to win. Rice was on their home field, which was a huge advantage for them, and yet we worked together to beat them. I have never been so proud of the team.”
The Billikens will travel to Southeast Missouri State on Friday for a 7 p.m. match with the Redhawks before returning to host the Illinois State Redbirds on Sunday.
Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Robert R. Hermann Stadium.
