Sept. 7, 2003

Final Stats

ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis University needed 15 extra minutes but managed to knock off Air Force 1-0 in the final game of the Toys for Tots / Military Academies Women's Soccer Classic to win the tournament title this afternoon at Robert R. Hermann Stadium. Freshmen Anna Schuch and Courtney Hulcer combined for the game winner in the 105th minute. In the tournament's first game Sunday, Indiana topped Army 1-0.

The Billiken offense dominated the day, out-shooting the Falcons 21-4 on the afternoon. Air Force goalkeeper J.J. Wolf made eight saves, including six in the second half, and the Falcon defense cleared a pair of balls off the line to keep SLU off the board. Despite the disparity in shots, the Falcons nearly put found themselves in front in the 61st minute. Raegen McDowell sent a ball ahead for Leigh-Anne Withers who had found space on the near side of the Billiken defense. Withers looked like she would go in alone against Billiken keeper Amanda Martin, but senior back Carrie Carlson came streaking across the field to poke the ball away before Withers could get off a shot. The resulting corner was equally dangerous for Air Force, but Martin blocked Stephanie Brown's shot and smothered the ball at the right post.

Saint Louis' best bid to end the deadlock came in the 75th minute when freshman Dee Guempel stripped a Falcon defender and sent a pass ahead to Schuch, whose speed sent her past the defense. Wolf came out to challenge, but Schuch eluded her dive after the ball. With an open net, the Billiken freshman sent a shot toward the goal where Amanda Cleland raced ahead to kick it away just as it touched the goal line.

The Bills had a pair of good looks in the first overtime but could not convert. Finally, on their 13th corner of the afternoon, SLU managed to put one away. Hulcer served the ball in from the left corner only to see Wolf punch it away. The Billiken freshman tracked the ball down just outside the box on the left side. She sent another quick serve into the box where Schuch waited 10 yards off the goal line and tucked a header just inside the left post.

Martin picked up her third shutout in as many games this season as the Billikens improved to 3-0-0. Air Force suffered its first loss of the season, dropping to 3-1-0 and finishing second overall in the tournament.

In the afternoon's first game Indiana dominated Army with 21 shots to the Black Knights' three, though the Hoosiers escaped with just a 1-0 victory behind Megan Pipkens' first career goal in the 73rd minute. Emily Hotz set up the goal after she got by defenders on the right side and sent the ball through the middle of the box to Pipkens, who one-touched it into the left side of the goal.

The All-Tournament team included Army's Michelle Veach and Delaney Brown, Indiana's Erin Hesselbach and Carly Everett, Air Force's Wolf, McDowell and Jennifer Ford, and SLU's Dee Guempel and Kara Kornfeld. Ferguson was named Tournament MVP.

The Billikens go on their first road trip of the season next week, traveling to a tournament in Princeton, N.J. SLU will face Penn at 4 p.m. (CT) on Fri., Sept. 12, and take on host Princeton at 1:30 p.m. (CT) on Sun., Sept. 14.