The Saint Louis University women’s soccer team looks to end its regular season play on a high note this weekend. SLU, ranked second in the Atlantic 10 Conference, is set to play the No. 1 ranked team, Charlotte, tomorrow at home.
With a win, the Billikens will claim the top seed in the A-10 Conference tournament, which will guarantee them a bye in the first round.
“Winning this game [against Charlotte] is key to our season; we need to come out strong against them and win,” sophomore forward Julia Bradenberg said. “Charlotte is the No. 1 team in the conference, and winning this game means we’d have a break from the first round and more rest to focus more in the later rounds of play.”
Despite missing the first three games this season due to injury, Bradenberg ranks third on the team with three goals and eight points. This past week, Soccer Buzz named Bradenberg to the Elite Team of the Week.
Bradenberg, who was selected to the Elite Team for a second time in her career, played a key role in the Billikens’ two A-10 Conference victories last week with goals against both Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
Because of her efforts, Bradenberg was also named to the TopDrawerSoccer.com College Team of the Week.
“It feels really good to get this kind of recognition,” Bradenberg said. “I was out because of an injury earlier this season, and it is great to be back and in a position to play at this level and to get recognition for playing to my potential.”
Heading into the match this weekend, Charlotte leads the overall series 5-4-2, but the Billikens have won the last two matches and are 3-1 against the 49ers at Robert R. Hermann Stadium.
Charlotte, who is 8-1-1 in conference play to SLU’s 7-1-2 record this season, is only two points ahead of the Billikens in the A-10 conference standings.
“We just switched to a 4-3-3 system, which will give us more power up top,” senior midfielder Liz Fox said. “If we are able to communicate and play well together utilizing that system, I think we definitely will have the ability to win.”
Agreeing with Fox, sophomore forward Molly Hartmann said that SLU has the ability to beat Charlotte if the team enters the match against Charlotte with confidence.
“Charlotte is always a tough team to play,” Hartmann said. “We knew coming into the season that playing them would be one of our most difficult games. I think we have the skill to beat them, but we need to stay calm and play the game the way that we know how to play.”
Hartmann said that her performance in the Rhode Island match Oct. 26 has given her the confidence she needs as the Billikens enter the postseason. Hartmann’s first career goal against the Rams of Rhode Island gave SLU the win in double overtime.
“It was amazing to score a goal like that,” Hartmann said. “Hopefully that will help me be a better, more confident player in the upcoming game and in the tournament to come.”
For seniors like Fox, this is last home game they will play at SLU, and it has sentimental value. Fox said that the fact that it is her last time playing at home gives her more motivation to work harder and win.
“As a senior, it’s really sad that this is the last home game for the season. However, knowing that my time playing on this field is done gives more adrenaline and just makes me that much more pumped to go out and win” Fox said. “I want to win this weekend against Charlotte not just because I am a senior, but because of the position it would put us in for the conference tournament coming up.”
