BILLS FACE ANOTHER ROAD TEST – Saint Louis women's soccer (1-5-1) plays a rare weekday afternoon game Tuesday, Sept. 17, against Illinois State (4-4). Kickoff at ISU's Adelaide Street Field is set for 4 p.m.
TICKET INFORMATION – Tickets for all women's soccer home games at Robert R. Hermann Stadium can be purchased at the gate, by phone at (314) 977-4SLU or online at www.slubillikens.com. Prices for single-game tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for youth. Groups of 20 or more receive discounted tickets for $4 apiece. Season tickets are $70 for adults and $40 for youth (ages 3-12). Students with a valid SLU ID card receive free admission.
FOLLOWING THE ACTION – Free live statistics and a live video stream (subscription) are available for Tuesday's SLU-Illinois State game. The links may be found in the schedule boxes located just below the main photo on www.SLUBillikens.com.
ABOUT THE BILLIKENS – Senior midfielder Jenny Hummert and junior defender Maddy Bush lead Saint Louis with two goals apiece. Freshman forward Cristina Rodriguez has a goal and an assist, and sophomore forward Livi Logan-Wood has scored one goal. Sophomore midfielder Jamei Borges has two assists, while senior defender Jessie Jarrett and freshman midfielder Tori Marshall own one assist apiece.
LAST TIME OUT – Jenny Hummert and Maddy Bush found the back of the net in the Billikens' 3-2 loss at Iowa Sept. 13. Tori Marshall assisted on Bush's goal. SLU's two markers were twice as many as Iowa had allowed in its first six games combined.
HEAD COACH KATIE SHIELDS – Katie Shields is in her first season as the Billikens' head coach after serving as a SLU assistant coach last year. Shields is joined on the sideline by four newcomers to the staff – assistant coaches Scott Gloden and Vince Gentile, volunteer assistant Anne Gloden and senior graduate manager Maggie Baumann.
SCOUTING ILLINOIS STATE – The Redbirds have eight starters and six additional letter winners back from their 2012 team that went 13-5-2 and made the program's second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. Illinois State has won three of its last four games, including a 3-2 victory over No. 22 Marquette Sept. 15, to even its record at 4-4. ISU's schedule in the first half of the season also has included three Big Ten opponents and two Big 12 foes. Junior forward Rachel Tejada, the two-time Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, leads the Redbird attack with 15 points (6G, 3A). Freshman forward Hannah Leinert (3G, 3A) and senior forward Kyla Cross (2G, 4A), a two-time All-Conference performer, are battling for second place with nine and eight points, respectively. Senior midfielder Anna Stinson, a three-time All-MVC honoree, is challenging for the team lead with three assists. Redshirt junior Aryn Newsom, who made a career-high 13 saves against Marquette, has a 2.34 goals against average and a .704 save percentage.
THE ILLINOIS STATE SERIES – Saint Louis and Illinois State are tied 1-1 with one tie. The draw (2-2) occurred in Normal in 1996, the first season for both programs. ISU claimed a 2-1 victory in Normal in 2004, and SLU evened the series the following year with a 2-1 triumph in overtime at Hermann Stadium.
UP NEXT – The Billikens play their final two non-conference games of the season at home this weekend. SLU hosts UT Martin and Iowa State Sept. 20 (7 p.m.) and Sept. 22 (noon), respectively.
