St. Louis - No. 22 (NSCAA) Memphis blanked No, 21 (Soccer America) Saint Louis 2-0 tonight in a Conference USA men's soccer match at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex. It was the Billikens' second-consecutive shutout loss.

The Tigers dominated the first half with their direct, quick-strike attack as Memphis out-shot the Billikens 8-4. Tigers leading scorers Dayton O'Brien and Andy Metcalf made their presence immediately. A junior forward, Metcalf put the Tigers on top in the eighth minute with an eight-yard strike as O'Brien and Cormac McArdle picked up assists. Billiken keeper Martin Hutton kept the Bills in the game with an outstanding stop in a one-on-one against Tigers senior midfielder John Reilly.

Saint Louis started to get into the match as sophomore midfielder Alex Matteson registered SLU's first shot in the 20th minute. The Bills had a chance to tie the match on a penalty kick in the 30th minute when SLU Hermann Trophy candidate Will John was tripped up in front of the Memphis goal, Bills junior midfielder Ryan Wileman took the PK, but Tigers keeper Sebastian Vecchio dived to his right to make the save.

O'Brien put the game out of reach in the 39th minute with a beautiful 12-yard flick off a Daniel Dobson serve from the right flank.

As the Tigers took a more defensive approach in the second half, the Billikens applied pressure and had chances to climb back into the match. Memphis' Vecchio was sharp on SLU defender Brett Branan's header off a corner kick. Freshman midfielder Andrew Reeder hit the cross bar in the 72nd minute. John had a header go wide off a cross from the left flank in the 76th minute. Vecchio denied Wileman from 10 yards in a one-on-situation in the 79th minute.

The win for the Tigers (10-3-0 overall, 6-1-0 C-USA) marked its first regular-season victory over the Billikens in Memphis. It also marked the first time that Saint Louis has lost three C-USA games in a single season. Memphis out-shot the Billikens 13-12, and Vecchio made seven saves to record the shutout. SLU's Hutton also made seven stops.

Saint Louis (7-6-1, 4-3-1) closes its C-USA regular season by hosting East Carolina at Robert R. Hermann Stadium on Fri., Oct. 29.

#22 MEMPHIS 2, #21 SAINT LOUIS 0
UM  7:02  Andy Metcalf 8 yds from Dayton O'Brien, Cormac McArdle
UM 38:41 O'Brien 12 yds from Daniel Dobson

Shots: SLU - 12, MEM-13 Corners: SLU - 5, MEM-3 Saves: SLU - 7 (Hutton), MEM- 7 (Vecchio) Fouls: SLU - 16, MEM-16

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