Sept. 29, 2007
Box Score
ST. LOUIS - In front of a Homecoming audience of 5,758, the second-largest crowd in Robert R. Hermann Stadium history, No. 15 Saint Louis posted a 3-0 victory over Central Florida on Saturday evening. The three tallies are a season high for the Billikens.
"I was pleased with our performance, especially given how many key players were out of the lineup," Billiken head coach Dan Donigan said. "That was probably the most lineup changes we've ever made and played players in positions they haven't even trained in. That's a sign of a pretty versatile team with skilled players. We generated a lot of corner kicks and the services were quality. Plus, when you get 17 of them, chances are that you will score. UCF is a good team, and they challenged us with their height. We did not get frustrated and played a smart game."
The Billikens applied early pressure on UCF as SLU had two strong scoring chances in the first 10 minutes. Tim Ream unleashed a wicked low drive that was turned aside by Knights keeper Sean Johnson. Later, Dado Hamzagic turned on a beautifully struck cross and headed a driving shot which forced another sprawling save by UCF's Johnson. The Billikens kept up the attack and had eight corner kicks within the first 20 minutes of the first half. In the 34th minute, Josh Aranda drilled a shot from the top of the box to force yet another UCF defensive save. Off the 11th corner kick of the half, the Billikens finally broke through in the 39th minute. Brandon Barklage served up an arcing ball, and Calum Angus ran under it and launched a header into the UCF goal. Just minutes later, Hamzagic blistered another shot but was denied by Johnson. The Billikens put 11 shots on goal in the first half but settled for the one tally.
UCF's Mike Mattson put a header on goal that was veering towards the upper right corner, but Ross Kaufman reached up and corralled the ball to preserve the one-goal lead for the Billikens. Midway through the second half, Kaufman saved another dangerous ball off a Knights' corner kick. In the 75th minute, the Billikens carefully worked the ball up the right side and earned a throw-in deep in UCF territory. Kyle Patterson split two defenders and served a cross that Kyle Hayes lofted a ball into the middle of the UCF goal. Hamzagic skillfully settled the ball and pounded it into the left side of the goal, his third of the season, for a 3-0 advantage.
The Billikens carried the play the entire evening and tied the Hermann Stadium record with 17 corner kicks. The night's attendance was the most since 6,517 saw the inaugural game at Hermann Stadium on Aug. 21, 1999, against Indiana.
The Billikens have won four straight and improve to 4-1-2. The Knights fall to 4-4-1. The Billikens are next in action on Sat., Oct. 6, when they host Buffalo in a 7 p.m. game at Hermann Stadium.
