After coming off their first win of the 2010 season against Marist, the Saint Louis University Women’s Soccer team was optimistic heading into Dallas to face Southern Methodist University.

The Lady Bills were put into a quick hole after a goal in the 12th  minute by SMU forward Amanda Bugart. After halftime, the Mustangs put in another, this time from forward Shelby Redman.

SLU came fighting back and cut the lead in half with a goal scored by sophomore Alli Reimer. This was Reimer’s second goal of the 2010 season.

The Billikens had chances in the closing minutes of the game to even up the score, but the Mustangs defense held the charge at bay.

In his 15th season as head coach, Tim Champion said his team was “not playing well in the first half, but started playing good defense in the second half.”

The Billikens have five more non-conference matches before the conference season opener on Oct. 1 at Rhode Island.

“The team is now shifting gears toward conference play,” Champion said.  “We are starting to play better every day.”

This year’s team is young, but looks to exceed last year’s 4-4-3 conference record.

The Billikens have two matches this weekend; the first match will be at Butler University in Indianapolis on Sept. 10.

The team then returns home to Robert R. Hermann Stadium to face a very tough Louisville Cardinals team at 1:00 p.m. on Sept. 12.