Aug. 31, 2007
Box Score
DALLAS - No. 22 (NSCAA) Saint Louis got a goal from junior midfielder Dado Hamzagic early in the second half, but No. 8 Southern Methodist's Bruno Guarda buried a penalty kick late in regulation to deliver a 1-1 tie at Wescott Field Friday night. SLU senior keeper Pat Disbennett, who missed all of 2006 with an injury, made four saves for the Billikens in his first game action since Nov. 6, 2005.
"Our players turned in a tremendous defensive effort, and as a result we were just minutes away from beating one of the top teams in the country on the road," Billiken head coach Dan Donigan said. "We created a tactical game plan that the players bought into, and in the end it nearly paid off."
After an uneventful first half as far as scoring goes, both sides came out of the locker room hungry for the go-ahead tally in the second. SLU struck first in the 51st minute on an unassisted goal by Hamzagic. He fired a shot that was stopped by SMU keeper Steve Sandbo, but Hamzagic instinctively followed the shot and one-timed the subsequent rebound into the back of the net for the game's first goal.
"It was just a great individual effort by Dado," Donigan said. "He not only created the opportunity, but more important he capitalized on that opportunity."
The Mustangs put two shots on goal in the first half, both of which were stoned by Disbennett. It was much of the same in the second stanza as the Billiken backline fought off several chances and five SMU corners, but it was a penalty kick goal in the 83rd minute that prevented the Billikens from claiming a season-opening victory. SMU was awarded the kick after a SLU foul in the box. Guarda, SMU's Hermann Trophy candidate, connected on the free strike to knot things up at 1-1.
Other than one SMU shot that was saved by Disbennett, neither team mustered a consistent attack in the two overtime periods.
Just prior to SMU's game-tying goal, SLU's Brandon Barklage got three shots off in a three-minute sequence, one of which found the goal post. The Mustangs played the final 18 minutes of regulation and the two overtime sessions one man down after SMU's Manuel Mariel received a red card.
Both Barklage and Hamzagic ended with three shots apiece, while junior Kyle Patterson registered the other shot for SLU. Overall, SMU out-shot the Bills 16-7 and held a 10-2 advantage in corner kicks.
Saint Louis, which is in the midst of a tough three-game stretch away from Robert R. Hermann Stadium, travels to Durham, N.C., next weekend for the Duke/adidas Soccer Classic. The Billikens face NC State on Fri., Sept. 7, before taking on the No. 4 Blue Devils on Sun., Sept. 9.
