Aug. 30, 2010

THIS WEEK - In its only game this week, Saint Louis women's soccer (1-1-2) takes on SMU (1-1-1) Friday, Sept. 3, in Dallas. Game time at Westcott Field is 7 p.m.

TICKET INFORMATION - Tickets for all women's soccer home games at Robert R. Hermann Stadium can be purchased at the gate, by phone at (314) 977-4SLU or online at www.slubillikens.com. Prices for single-game tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for youth. Groups of 20 or more receive discounted tickets for $4 apiece. Students with a valid SLU ID card receive free admission.

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. Subscriptions are available for $79.95 annually or $9.95 a month. All home games, and selected road matches including Friday's contest at SMU, will be available free of charge on GameTracker.

LAST WEEK - The Billikens ran their shutout streak to three and split two games at the Duquesne Classic in Pittsburgh. SLU opened the tournament Aug. 27 with a scoreless draw against Towson. The Billikens out-shot the Tigers 15-4, including a career-high five shots from sophomore Alli Reimer, while sophomore Katie Walsh stopped the only Towson shot on goal. Saint Louis collected its first win of the season Aug. 29, a 1-0 triumph over Marist. Sophomore Maggie Baumann tallied her first goal of the year unassisted at the 78:07 mark, and Walsh made two saves to notch her first victory as a Billiken. Senior Christina Brown tied her career high with four shots.

ABOUT THE BILLIKENS - Sophomores Alli Reimer and Maggie Baumann have scored a goal apiece, while senior Ashley Brazill owns an assist. Sophomore Katie Walsh has three shutouts and carries a 0.25 goals against average and an .875 save percentage. The Billikens have posted three shutouts in their first four games for the third time in program history, joining the 2003 and 2008 teams.

BILLS IN THE A-10 STATISTICAL RANKINGS - Saint Louis leads the Atlantic 10 Conference in shutouts (three) and ranks second in goals against average (0.45) and corner kicks (5.0 per game). Individually, Katie Walsh leads the league in shutouts (three), ranks second in GAA (0.25) and is fourth in save percentage (.875). Alli Reimer is tied for ninth in shots (2.5 per game).

A LOOK AT SMU - The Mustangs return 15 letterwinners, including nine starters, from their 2009 squad that posted a 7-11-1 overall record and finished sixth in Conference USA with a 5-5-1 league mark. SMU opened with a 1-0 win against Florida International, fell 2-0 at No. 5 Portland and posted a scoreless draw at Oregon. Senior forward Lauren Shepherd has the Mustangs' only goal this season, while sophomore goalkeeper Courtney Webb has played every minute between the posts and owns a 0.62 GAA and an .889 save percentage. Also among SMU's returning players are junior midfielder Kaitlyn Eidson and senior defender Kristin Medeiros, who made the 2009 All-Conference second and third teams, respectively; 2009 leading scorer Kenzie Scovill (6G, 1A), a sophomore forward; and sophomore midfielder Mallory Baum, a 2009 C-USA All-Freshman choice. Fourth-year head coach Brent Erwin is 23-32-4 at SMU, 36-49-7 in six career campaigns.

THE SMU SERIES - The Mustangs defeated the Billikens 2-0 in Dallas Oct. 6, 2000, in the only previous meeting between the teams.

HU NAMED PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE - Sophomore back Allison Hu was selected to the Atlantic 10 Conference preseason All-Conference team by a vote of the league's head coaches. The Billikens were picked to place fourth in the A-10.

HEAD COACH Tim Champion - The only head coach in Saint Louis women's soccer history, Tim Champion is in his 18th season overall as a collegiate head coach and his 15th season at the Billiken helm. Champion owns a 168-89-32 record (.637) at SLU and an overall mark of 228-103-35 (.671). He has led his teams to three regular-season conference championships and two conference tournament titles. Champion became the first head coach to guide a SLU women's program to the NCAA Tournament when his 2005 Billikens made the first of two consecutive NCAA appearances. His .673 win percentage and 227 victories to begin the season rank 25th and 30th, respectively, among all coaches with at least 10 seasons as an NCAA Division I head coach. The win percentage is 28th in the nation and the victory total is 23rd among active coaches with at least five years as a Division I head coach. Joining Champion this season are assistant coaches Kelly Ferguson (fourth season) and Rob LaMear (sixth season).

HERMANN STADIUM - Billiken women's soccer is tough to beat on Robert R. Hermann Stadium's state-of-the-art natural grass. Since the facility re-opened in 1999, the Bills are 79-22-10 (.757) at home, including 45-7-6 (.828) in league play.

A LOOK AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK - Saint Louis travels to Indianapolis to take on Butler Friday, Sept. 10, at 4 p.m. (CT) before returning to Hermann Stadium Sunday, Sept. 12, for a 1 p.m. tilt against Louisville.

Saint Louis Billikens Women's Soccer