Box Score ST. LOUIS – Senior defender Jessie Jarrett scored her fourth goal of the season midway through the first half, and Saint Louis held off a pesky Rhode Island team for a 1-0 Atlantic 10 Conference victory Sunday afternoon at Robert R. Hermann Stadium.
SLU improved to 5-10-2 overall and 4-2-1 in the A-10. With one game remaining – next Sunday, Nov. 3, at VCU – the Billikens have assured themselves of finishing above .500 in conference play for the first time since 2008. Rhode Island fell to 5-12, 0-7.
Saint Louis, which will enter the final weekend of the regular season in second place in the A-10 standings, has a strong chance to qualify for the A-10 Championship for the first time since 2009. The eight-team conference tournament, which determines the league's NCAA Tournament representative, is scheduled for Nov. 7-10 at VCU.
Jarrett's goal was her second game-winning tally of the season. Senior forward Jenny Hummert collected her team-leading third assist of the year on the play. Jarrett and Hummert, along with teammates Tori Belgeri, Maddie Gebauer and Kailey Pretzlaff and manager Liz Kaiser, were honored during pregame Senior Day festivities.
Sophomore goalkeeper Hanna Benben made three saves and recorded her second career shutout.
The Billiken goal came on a corner kick at 22:35. Hummert delivered a perfect service to Jarrett, who headed the ball inside the far post from just inside the six-yard line.
The win gives Saint Louis a 7-2 advantage in the all-time series against Rhode Island. The margin of victory in all nine games has been one goal, including a 1-0 score in each of the last five contests.
The Saint Louis-VCU game next Sunday in Richmond, Va., kicks off at 1:30 p.m. (CT).
