St. Louis - Saint Louis junior midfielder Ryan Wileman scored twice as the Billikens snapped No. 24 UAB's five-game winning streak with a 2-1 triumph tonight in a Conference USA men's soccer match before 4,593 fans on Homecoming at Robert R. Hermann Stadium. The crowd was the fifth-largest in Hermann Stadium history.

Blazers Hermann Trophy candidate Leandro DeOliveira struck first in the 15th minute on a counter attack. UAB forward Maurice Hughes flicked defender Joe Klosterman's long ball to the right flank where de Oliveira ran on to it. The Blazers midfielder buried a 10-yard shot to the left corner past SLU keeper Martin Hutton.. Saint Louis junior midfielder Ryan Wileman answered in the 22nd minute as he pounced on a loose ball at the top of the Blazers penalty area and drilled a low 16-yard drive to the left post past diving UAB keeper A.J. Robles.

The Billikens claimed the lead in the 29th minute as the result of a penalty kick. UAB's Robles tripped SLU freshman defender Tim Ward in the Blazers penalty area. SLU's Hermann Trophy candidate Will John took the PK, but Robles dived to his right to make the save. The rebound went directly to Wileman, whose 12 yard bicycle kick found the right corner. "I set up on the left side, because I know that Will usually likes to go to the keeper's right," Wileman said. "I just hit with the inside of my foot and had no idea where it was going, but I heard the crowd when I was on the ground."

"That's good to hear, because that's just instinctive play, and that's what soccer is all about," Billiken head coach Dan Donigan said. "That was an intelligent play by an experienced player in a game that we needed to have."

In a first half that saw SLU out-shoot UAB 8-4, each team had more quality opportunities. The Blazers defense cleared balls off its own line in the 20th minute denying John DiRaimondo and in the 28th minute taking a goal from John, who thought his chip had floated across the line before UAB defender Robert Sheringham cleared it out of mid-air with a bicycle kick. The Blazers Shane Elsner sent a header off the cross bar in the 40th minute off a free kick. UAB also was looking for a penalty kick when a loose ball at the top of the SLU penalty area appeared to go from a Billiken defender's foot to Hutton, and the keeper picked it up, but none was forthcoming.

The tempo in the second half was much slower as the Billikens took a more defensive posture. UAB's Robles and his defense kept the Blazers within striking distance. Robles made two sensational saves by making leaping saves of Wileman's header in the 63rd minute and freshman forward Andrew Reeder's drive in the 85th minute. UAB's Klosterman cleared another ball off ihis own line in the 60th minute to stop Bills freshman forward Nick Cicciarelli's header. The Billikens' defense also did its part when senior back Brett Branan broke up a 2-on-1 in the 58th minute.

The Billikens out-shot UAB (6-4-0, 3-1-0) 14-10 and had an 8-1 edge in corner kicks. Robles made seven saves, and his defense cleared away three shots. The Billikens' Hutton made four stops.

Saint Louis (6-4-1, 3-1-1) won consecutive games for the first time since opening the season with a pair of victories and visits Louisville on Sat., Oct. 16.

SAINT LOUIS 2, #24 UAB 1
UAB 14:33  Leandro de Oliveira 10 yds from Maurice Hughes, Joe Klosterman,
SLU  21:10  Ryan Wileman 16 yds unassisted
SLU  28:20  Wileman 12 yds from Will John

Shots: SLU - 14, UAB - 10 Corners: SLU - 8, UAB - 1 Saves: SLU - 4 (Hutton), UAB - 10 (Robles-7, Team-3) Fouls: SLU - 15, UAB - 12 Att: 4,593