It took less than two minutes for the Billikens women’s soccer team to get on the board in Sunday’s season opener against Evansville at Robert R. Hermann Stadium on Aug. 21. From that point forward, the Bills would never look back, turning in an

impressive 4-0 victory to start the season.

Sophomore Jenny Hummert tallied two goals in the match, continuing her offensive prowess from last season. As a freshman last year, Hummert started 18 of the team’s 19 games, and earned Offensive Most Valuable Player honors, as well as a spot on the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team.

Hummert’s two goals were both assisted by freshman, a great sign for this young Billikens. Mallorie Owen found Hummert midway through the first half to earn her first collegiate assist. Late in the game, Julia Merlo assisted the Billikens’ fourth goal of the day.

Freshman Abbey Stock also scored in the match, netting SLU’s second goal in the 5th minute. Stock is a Missouri native and was a top level scorer for St. Joseph’s High School in Town & Country. She will likely play a key role in SLU’s offense as well.

Any young team always needs some senior leadership. Jasmina Suljic, a senior midfielder who has worked with head coach Tim Champion for four years now, provided exactly that in the Bills first game.

Suljic was the first to get on the board, scoring off a pass from junior Alli Reimer just one minute and 16 seconds into the match.

“It was a good win for us,” Champion said after the match.  “We played well, and the best thing is we scored some goals… we were really able to put the ball in the net.”

Four goals is the most the women’s soccer team has scored in a single game since a 6-0 win over Arkansas State in 2003.

The offensive explosion is key for a team who scored just 11 goals in 19 matches last season.

“We moved the ball really well, and scored in the very first minute, which is a major improvement,” senior midfielder Colleen Kustura said.  “We won the balls in the air, we were strong defensively and we put the balls in the net.”

Kustura is a key part of the midfield for the Bills. Champion said he praised her leadership and her ability to control game tempo after Sunday’s match.

The women now head to Milwaukee, Wisc., for two matches this weekend against Milwaukee-Wisconsin and nationally-ranked Marquette.