ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis senior Brandon Barklage (CBC) scored a goal and assisted on another to power the fifth-ranked Billikens to a 3-0 Homecoming victory against Missouri State in men's soccer action Saturday night at Robert R. Hermann Stadium.
With the win, the Billikens remain unbeaten at 4-0-3, while Missouri State dips to 1-5-3. A Homecoming audience of 5,785 fans saw the match, the second-largest crowd in Robert R. Hermann Stadium history.
"We had a great crowd, and that in itself raises your play to another level," SLU head coach Dan Donigan said. "Missouri State is a tough, scrappy team, and it took us a while to get that third goal to overcome that dangerous 2-0 lead. I thought we played well, and I am happy where we are heading into these next couple of games against Northwestern and Creighton."
The Billikens jumped on top early in the match on Kyle Patterson's fifth goal of the season. Barklage controlled the ball near the top of the box, and found Kyle Hayes streaking toward the right corner. Hayes then sent the ball into the goal-mouth, where Patterson charged toward the ball and buried it past MSU keeper Alex Riggs and inside the right post.
Barklage made it 2-0 Billikens at the 28:14 mark on a set piece off a re-start. Barklage and Tim Ream were over the ball, and Barklage charged out to the left and took a pass from Ream. After dancing through several Bears defenders, Barklage unleashed a low shot that a diving Riggs appeared to get a hand on, but the momentum carried the ball over the goal line to give the Bills a 2-0 advantage, a lead it would carry into halftime.
The Billikens' first goal, at 10:42, was the earliest tally of the season for the Billikens. Coming into the match, SLU had scored just three of its nine goals in the first half of play.
Meanwhile, the SLU defense had a boost with the return of All-American Calum Angus. Missouri State had its best chance to crack the scoreboard with 13 minutes remaining in the match. Kyle Windmueller winded up a pair of shots off a corner kick, one of which was swept off the goal line by Eric Sweetin who was stationed at the far post.
Scott Wisniewski tallied at the 83:04 to put the Bills up 3-0. Dado Hamzagic controlled the ball and ran up the middle before dishing off to Wisniewski on the left side. Wisniewski hit the bouncing ball in stride and snuck it inside the near post to vault the Billikens to the decisive 3-0 margin.
SLU keeper Pat Disbennett made two saves in picking up his third-straight shutout victory. The Billikens out-shot Missouri State 11-7, while the Bears mustered a 5-3 advantage in corner kicks, including several dangerous chances late in regulation.
Saint Louis returns to action next Tuesday when it hosts Northwestern at Hermann Stadium. Match time is 7 p.m.
