The Billikens continue to crush their Atlantic-10 competition after a 1-0 win on the road versus St. Bonaventure on Saturday, Oct. 21, in Olean, N.Y.
SLU’s offensive opportunities came early in the game, and senior forward Vince Cicciarelli finished one of his first chances in the 12th minute. Sophomore forward Joe Saad launched a corner kick in from the right side, and Cicciarelli redirected the ball into the back of the net with his head. This marks his fifth goal of the season, while Saad tallied his fifth assist, the highest on the team for the 2015 season.
Saad credits the assist and goal to the team as a whole. “We created a great attack down our right side and earned a corner, and I just tried to give our biggest guys a chance to get after the ball,” he said. “Vince made a really nice play on the ball. It felt great not only to assist, but most importantly to help the team win. Every single person on our team is making great plays all over the field, and we wouldn’t get these great opportunities on goal. Without that hard work, we wouldn’t win any games.”
The Billiken defense kept their slate clean yet again by allowing no shots on goal for the Bonnies, and gave them less than a glance at any opportune chances. Sophomore goalie Sascha Otte recorded his seventh shutout of the year.
Saad commented on the team’s fourth win in a row. “It was a big win for us because it clinched us a playoff spot. It was a bit of a frustrating game given we had many chances, but a win’s a win and we’ll take it,” Saad said. “Our defense has been playing really well, and our offense is creating a lot of chances.”
SLU improved to 4-1-2 in conference play and 8-5-2 overall. This record keeps SLU in second place in the conference. They are behind Dayton, who is undefeated in conference play and has one tie.
The Billikens are looking to stay disciplined and finish conference play strong going into the tournament. “The team that will give us the biggest challenge is ourselves,” Saad said. “We have a lot of talent and experience this year, so we just need to continue with the attitude we’ve been rolling with for the past four or five games.”
The men conclude their regular season on Saturday, Nov. 7, as they welcome George Washington University to Hermann Stadium. Before the game, seniors Cicciarelli, defender Tyler David, defender Julian Gieseke, midfielder David Graydon, forward Faik Hajderovic, defender Marco Heskamp and defender Filip Pavisic will be honored for their contributions to the program. Kickoff is set for 7p.m. The Atlantic-10 Conference tournament begins Nov. 12, in Fairfax, Virginia, hosted by George Mason.
