 No. 7 Billikens Entertain Denver on Saturday
Sept. 17, 2008
Ticket Information | Men's Soccer Promotional Schedule What's on Tap: Saint Louis will put its unbeaten record on the line Saturday when Denver comes to Robert R. Hermann Stadium for a 7 p.m. kick-off. It is the second game of a five-match homestand for the seventh-ranked (Soccer America) Billikens. Following the Action: All Billiken home games this season will be video streamed live on the Internet via Billiken All-Access at www.slubillikens.com. Michael Deye and Robert Moehle call the action. Subscriptions are available for $79.95 annually or $9.95 a month. In addition to the games, fans can view player interviews, highlights and the Dan Donigan Show at no charge. GameTracker is again available free of charge in 2008. For Tickets: Tickets for all men's soccer home games at Robert R. Hermann Stadium may be purchased at the ticket gate, by phone at (314) 977-4SLU or online at www.slubillikens.com. Prices for single-game tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for youth. Groups of 20 or more receive discounted tickets for $3 apiece. Students with a valid SLU ID card receive free admission. The Billikens play their next four games at Hermann Stadium, including three Saturday night tilts. Recapping Last Week: In its lone game last week, Saint Louis played to a scoreless draw against No. 4 Connecticut. The Billikens received a match-high six shots from Brandon Barklage en route to out-shooting the Huskies 15-6. In addition, the Billikens held a 13-3 advantage in corner kicks. But strong defensive play on both sides prevented either team from finding the back of the net. SLU keeper Pat Disbennett saved two chances, while UConn keeper Josh Ford made four saves. The Billikens' back line of Josh Aranda, Alex Johnston, Tim Ream and Rob Viviano helped hold the Husky attack in check.
About the Billikens: Dating back to last season, Saint Louis is unbeaten in its last 13 matches and pulls into Saturday's game with a 2-0-3 record. The Billikens, who opened the season with four tough games away from Hermann Stadium, are led in scoring by All-America candidate Kyle Patterson's 10 points (4G, 2A). James Jaramillo and Brandon Barklage follow with five points apiece. Getting Defensive: The Billikens remain one of the top defensive teams in the country despite being without All-America defender Calum Angus, who has been sidelined by an injury. SLU has allowed just four goals on the season, and only 23 of the opponents' 60 shots have been on goal. Senior keeper Pat Disbennett has a 0.72 GAA while making 18 saves.
On The Offensive: Six different Billikens have found the back of the net this season, including Kyle Patterson (4G), James Jaramillo (2G) and Jonas Reiter (2G) who have done so multiple times. Brandon Barklage has picked up a team-high three assists. In all, eight Billikens have at least one point this season. SLU has out-shot its opponents 74-60 and holds a 38-16 advantage in corner kicks. Scouting Denver: After an 0-3-0 start, the Pioneers have won their last two games and pull into St. Louis with a 2-3-0 record. Last weekend, Denver picked up a pair of home victories with a 2-1 decision over San Diego State and a 4-1 thumping against Cal State-Fullerton. Collin Audley, who scored UD's two goals against SDSU, is tied with Colin Jones for the team lead with five points (2G, 1A). Joe Willis and Teale Stone split time in the net for Denver. Stone made five saves against San Diego State, while Willis was in the net in the Fullerton matchup. The Pioneers return six starters and 17 letterwinners from last year's squad that finished 10-4-4 overall and 6-1-3 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. Head coach Bobby Muuss is in his second season at Denver, his first head-coaching stop, and has a 12-7-4 career record. The SLU/Denver Series: Saturday's match will mark the first meeting between the two clubs. Streaking: Saint Louis is unbeaten through its first five matches for the first time since the 2003 squad went seven straight without a loss. Dating back to last season, the Billikens are unbeaten in their last 13. That is the longest unbeaten streak since the 1991 squad went unbeaten in 16 straight. Help Me, Help You: Brandon Barklage leads the club with three assists, which is just two shy of his team-best five assists from a season ago. Kyle Hayes, Rob Viviano and Scott Wisniewski have also tallied assists this season, giving the Billikens eight players who have registered at least one point.
Patterson Honored: Thanks to his eight-point (3G, 2A) effort at the Diadora Challenge Sept. 5-7, Kyle Patterson landed on all major National Teams of the Week in addition to being named National Player of the Week by TopDrawerSoccer.com. He appeared on CollegeSoccerNews.com's National Team of the Week and was recognized by Soccer America as a selection on its Men's Team of the Week. Reiter Claims First Weekly Award: Saint Louis freshman Jonas Reiter earned co-Rookie of the Week honors from the Atlantic 10 Conference for his play up top in SLU's two wins he the Diadora Challenge. He notched the first goals of his career in the Portland match when he netted back-to-back tallies in less than two minutes late in the match. The A-10 preseason All-Rookie team selection is tied for first among freshmen in the A-10 in goals with two. Transfer Contributes Immediately: Junior midfielder James Jaramillo has made significant contributions to the Billikens in his first season after transferring from UCLA. He is tied for second on the team with five points (2G, 1A) and is a key part of SLU's defensive effort from his central midfield position. Hermann Trophy Candidates: Saint Louis has three players on the 2008 Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy Watch List. Senior midfielder Eric Sweetin was named to the Watch List for the second straight season, while seniors Calum Angus and Kyle Patterson appeared for the first time. In November, the 48-member Watch List will be narrowed to 15 semifinalists, with three finalists to be announced in early December. The award, presented to the nation's top collegiate soccer player, will be announced at the Missouri Athletic Club in downtown St. Louis on Jan. 9, 2008. Preseason Nods: In addition to being named to the Hermann Trophy Watch List, Calum Angus and Kyle Patterson picked up several other preseason accolades. Angus was named a Soccer America and CollegeSoccerNews.com preseason first-team All-America selection, while Patterson was named to the second team. The duo was also named preseason All-Conference by Atlantic 10 coaches, as was senior forward Dado Hamzagic. In addition, freshmen Jonas Reiter and Keegan Smith were named to the league's All-Rookie team and were listed as two of the "100 Freshmen To Keep An Eye On in 2008."
Dan's Day: SLU head coach Dan Donigan, the 2007 NSCAA Middle-Atlantic Region Coach of the Year and reigning back-to-back A-10 Coach of the Year, is 93-30-21 (.719) in eight seasons at the helm. He ranks in the top five in winning percentage among active Division I head coaches with at least five years of experience. Donigan has led the Billikens to the NCAA Tournament in five of his seven campaigns. In the last three seasons combined, Donigan's Billikens have posted a 27-7-10 (.727) overall mark and a 16-1-1 (.917) ledger in A-10 regular-season games. NCAA History: The Billikens have qualified for the NCAA Tournament a record 44 times in the 49-year history of the event and have won a record 10 national championships. Saint Louis has a 65-32-5 (.662) record in NCAA Tournament action. Robert R. Hermann Stadium: The Billikens are tough to beat on Robert R. Hermann Stadium's state-of-the-art natural grass surface. SLU is 71-15-12 (.786) in eight seasons at Hermann Stadium, including 6-1-2 last season. In those eight seasons, the Billikens are 6-2-2 on their home pitch in NCAA Tournament action. Great Fans: The Billikens attracted an average of 2,116 fans for 10 home dates at Hermann Stadium last season, which ranked ninth in the nation. Last season, the Billikens drew 5,758 fans for Homecoming against Central Florida, the second-largest crowd in Robert R. Hermann Stadium history. The Billikens led the nation in average attendance in 2003, 2001 and 1999 and have ranked in the top 10 since 1999. On the Sidelines: Once again, the Billikens boast a full complement of assistant coaches in 2008. Matt Tutton enters his second season as an assistant, while Dave Beck is in his third year with the Billikens. Martin Hutton is in his second season as a graduate assistant in charge of goalkeepers. In addition, U.S. National Team assistant coach Mike Sorber will again serve as a volunteer assistant coach. Ream's Rundown: Junior defender Tim Ream will keep a blog this season, a feature available only on www.slubillikens.com. It will provide a behind-the-scenes look at the men's soccer squad and will be updated periodically throughout the year. |
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