ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis seniors accounted for all the Billikens' goals in a 6-0 victory over East Carolina tonight in Conference USA men's soccer before 2,684 fans on Senior Night at rain-swept Robert R. Hermann Stadium. With the victory, the Billikens claimed a share of the regular-season C-USA title with Marquette, who is the top seed in the league's postseason tournament as a result of its victory over the Bills in September.
"It was a great way for our seniors to finish the regular-season, but this isn't their last home game," head coach Dan Donigan said. "This was definitely a momentum builder with the postseason coming up next week."
Despite playing into winds gusting from 25 to 35 miles per hour, the Billikens dominated the early stages and didn't allow a Pirates shot for the first 27 minutes. SLU freshman midfielder Patrick Garcia had the first quality chance in the 12th minute, but his curving drive into the wind from the right side curved wide of the far post. C-USA scoring leader Jason Cole sent a header over the cross bar in the 21st minute, and shortly thereafter the Pirates' defense had to clear midfielder Cooper McKee's 12-yard shot.
With his career-best sixth goal of the season, senior midfielder Nick Walls put the Bills on top at 31:02 on a superlative individual effort. Walls chested a long ball from junior back Nick Gannon, held off an ECU defender and stepped inside the Pirates' player to break in on goalie R.J. Marvinney. Walls blasted a shot from 16 yards to the near post to beat Marvinney.
Saint Louis out-shot the Pirates 8-4 in the first half and had a 3-1 edge in corners as it carried the 1-0 advantage to the break.
Cole was the beneficiary of some exquisite play making to give SLU a two-goal margin at 47:22. Off Kevin Wickart's corner kick from the left side that went long, senior defender Mike Kirchhoff headed the ball to the right post where Walls side scissor-kicked it across the face of the goal. Cole was at the near post to tap it in.
Cole upped his career-high point total to 36 with his second marker of the night at 54:39. Off McKee's feed to the near post, Cole again hammered one to the back of the net from two yards.
SLU senior midfielder Jack Jewsbury made it a five-goal game at 66:58. Jewsbury attempted to feed Cole for a breakaway, but an ECU defender slid in to break it up. The ball popped free, and Jewsbury pounced on it and drilled a 15-yarder past Marvinney.
Billikens senior midfielder Kevin Wickart's off a dead ball. Jewsbury closed the scoring on a 25-yard bomb at 82:59 as Wickart picked up his second assist of the game.
The Billikens out-shot East Carolina (6-10-2 overall, 2-6-2 C-USA) 17-4 forcing ECU's Marvinney into making five saves. SLU keeper Martin Hutton posted three saves before being relieved by senior keeper Jason Cherish, who made his first career appearance.
In halftime ceremonies, the Billikens retired the No. 20 shirt of their all-time leading scorer, Brian McBride. McBride is the only soccer Billiken to receive that honor. This past summer as a member of the U.S. National Team, he became the first American to play in two World Cups and score in both.
The Billikens (12-3-2 overall, 7-2-1) host the C-USA postseason tournament beginning Thu., Nov. 14, at Hermann Stadium. As the No. 2 seed, the Bills will face a still-to-be-determined opponent in the quarterfinal round on Fri., Nov. 15.
