Sept. 28, 2007

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - Freshman midfielder Alyssa Mautz (O'Fallon, Mo. / Ft. Zumwalt West) scored in the 60th minute and sophomore forward Julia Bradenberg (St. Louis, Mo. / Ursuline) tacked on an insurance tally as Saint Louis cruised to a 2-0 victory over La Salle Friday night in the Atlantic 10 Conference women's soccer opener for both teams. It was the team-leading third goal of the season for Mautz, while Bradenberg buried her first goal of the year after missing a portion of the early part of the season with a back injury.

Senior forward Cassi Winchell (St. Louis, Mo. / Howell Central) was credited with an assist on both goals, and Dominique Turk (Scottsdale, Ariz. / Chaparral) made one save for her first-career shutout. The Billikens won their eighth-consecutive league opener, a streak that dates all the way back to the 2000 season when the Bills played in Conference USA.

Playing on a clear but blustery night in Philadelphia, neither team could generate much offensive firepower in what was mainly a defensive minded first half. The Billikens (4-3-0 overall, 1-0-0 A-10) mustered five shots, while the Explorers (5-4-0) managed just three chances in the frame.

Mautz, however, was able to break up the defensive struggle when she found the back of the net at the 60:15 mark of the second half. Winchell sneaked a ball from the right side of the penalty area to Mautz, who was able to beat two defenders before firing a shot past La Salle keeper Amy Grant for the 1-0 Billiken lead.

Exactly four minutes later, Bradenberg gave the Billikens some breathing room when she notched her first tally of the season. Winchell again sent a ball into the penalty area from the right side, and this time it found the foot of Bradenburg who held off two defenders before ripping a shot into the corner for the insurance goal.

The Billiken defense held La Salle to just one shot on goal - a chance 13 minutes into the contest that Turk easily turned aside. It was the best defensive performance so far this season for the Bills, who shut out their opponent for the third time this season.

Winchell's two assists match her career-high, as she also assisted on a pair of goals in SLU's NCAA Tournament victory against Stanford in 2005. She also continues to eke her way to the top of the record books. Already tied for third in school history with 25 career goals, she is fifth all-time with 63 career points and has broken into the top-10 with 14 career assists.

The Billikens continue A-10 action on Sunday when they host St. Bonaventure at Robert R. Hermann Stadium. Game time is slated for 1 p.m.