 Billikens Travel to Missouri State in Search of First Victory
Sept. 2, 2009
THIS WEEK: The Saint Louis field hockey team (0-2) continues its season opening four-game road swing with two contests in Springfield, Mo. The Billikens face Robert Morris Sunday, Sept. 6, at noon, then square off against host Missouri State Monday, Sept. 7, in another noon tilt. Both games will be played at Plaster Field on MSU's campus. ABOUT ROBERT MORRIS: The Colonials were 5-12 last season, 2-4 in the Northeast Conference and open the season against Missouri State on Saturday. Jessica Charles led RMU in scoring last year with 12 points on five goals and two assists. Stephanie Seeley started every game in goal and made 106 saves to go along with a 3.25 GAA. Head coach Olivia Netzler begins her third year at RMU with an 8-28 record. The Billikens lead the all-time series 2-1 after a 1-0 win over the Colonials a year ago. ABOUT MISSOURI STATE: The Bears (0-3) began the season with three matches in California. MSU fell 2-1 to Pacific, 3-1 at Stanford and 3-2 in overtime versus UC Davis. Kristina O'Connor has scored two of MSU's four goals this season. Steph Anderson has played every minute in goal with a 3.33 GAA and 26 saves. Head coach Dawn Callahan is 78-139 in her ninth season at MSU. The Bears hold a 50-27-3 edge in the all-time series and swept the home-and-home series last year. RECAPPING LAST WEEK: The Billikens traveled to Ohio to open the year and dropped both contests. Kent State, which was 17-5 a year ago, scored early in the contest and kept the Billikens off the scoreboard. No. 18 Ohio State used a three-goal outburst just before halftime and also shut out the Billikens. COACHING STAFF: Head coach Lauren Bruce is 0-2 her first season at the helm of the Billikens. She spent the last three years as a SLU assistant. Bruce is a 2005 graduate of the University of New Hampshire. She is assisted by fellow UNH grad Sarah Craigue, who is in her first season on the Billiken coaching staff.
SAVING THE DAY: Billiken goalies ranked ninth in the nation in saves per game (8.41) according to the final 2008 NCAA statistical report. After the first two matches in 2009, SLU is surpassing that pace. The Billikens have posted 17 saves thus far in the season, 8.5 per game. SENIOR LEADERS: The three seniors on the roster - Molly Boyne, Sarah Lohmann and Eva Luck - will lead the Billikens in 2009. Boyne is SLU's leading returning scorer, Lohmann had two goals last season, while Luck only played in four games after her season was cut short due to injury. NEW TO THE TEAM: Five newcomers bolster the freshman class. Caitlin Brenner, Lexie Lindblad, Lauryn Smith, Liz Tennyson and Morgan Threatt join the Billiken squad this season. RANK `EM UP: The Billikens play five teams currently ranked in the top 25. Iowa is No 9, with Louisville ranked No. 13. Massachusetts is No. 17, Ohio State is No. 18, and Michigan sits at No. 19. HOME OPENER: The Billikens begin home action at the Anheuser-Busch Center Sunday, Sept. 13, when Louisville visits for a 1 p.m. game. SLU will host seven games at the A-B Center. Admission is free to all Billiken field hockey matches. |
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