COMING UP – Saint Louis women's soccer (7-8, 2-3 Atlantic 10) travels to Davidson, N.C., to square off with new A-10 member Davidson (4-11-1, 1-4) on Saturday, Oct. 25. Game time is 6 p.m. (CT).
FOLLOWING THE ACTION – Free live statistics and a video stream (fee required) are available for Saturday's game. The links are located on the home page of Saint Louis' official athletics website, www.SLUBillikens.com, in the schedule section just below the lead stories, as well as on the women's soccer schedule page.
BILLIKEN LEADERS – Thirteen different Saint Louis players have recorded at least one point, and 10 of those players have collected at least one goal. Kirsten Clemens and Cristina Rodriguez top the scoring chart with 16 points (6G, 4A) apiece. Lindsay Elking (4G, 4A) and Livi Logan-Wood (4G, 2A) have tallied 12 and 10 points, respectively, while Danielle Tolmais (2G, 5A) checks in with nine points. Goalkeeper Hanna Benben carries a 1.59 goals against average and has made 71 saves. The Billikens have out-shot their opponents 243-190 overall and 121-97 in shots on goal.
WEEKEND SPLIT FOR SLU – The Billikens posted their first shutout of the season Oct. 17, blanking Fordham 2-0 at Robert R. Hermann Stadium. Maddy Bush notched her first goal of the season with an assist from Danielle Tolmais for a 1-0 SLU lead, and Cristina Rodriguez (Livi Logan-Wood assist) added an insurance tally. Hanna Benben made five saves. Rodriguez scored on a penalty kick in the Bills' 2-1 loss to league leader La Salle Oct. 19 at Hermann Stadium.
BILLS' ATTACK PRODUCING RESULTS – Cristina Rodriguez has scored a goal in four consecutive games ... with 29 goals this season, Saint Louis has easily surpassed last season's total of 19 ... the Billikens' 29 goals are the most scored by a SLU team through the first 15 games of a season since the 2006 squad netted 40 goals … SLU has nine multi-goal games so far this season, one more than the Billikens produced the past two years combined … the Bills have tallied four goals in three contests, marking the first time since 2006 that the team has produced three four-goal games … SLU has four players with a double-digit point total (Rodriguez 16, Kirsten Clemens 16, Lindsay Elking 12, Livi Logan-Wood 10) for the first time since 2009 … with 16 points apiece, Rodriguez and Clemens have become the first Billikens since 2006 to score that many … Rodriguez and Clemens have six goals apiece, marking the first time since 2008 that a Billiken has recorded that many in a season.
BILLIKENS IN THE NATIONAL STATISTICS – Saint Louis ranks 37th in the nation in assists per game (1.93), 48th in points per game (5.80) and 54th in goals per game (1.93).
SLU IN THE A-10 STATISTICS – In the most recent Atlantic 10 Conference statistics report, the Billikens lead the league in goals per game (1.93) and corner kicks per game (6.13); are second in points per game (5.80); and rank third in assists per game (1.93) and shots per game (16.20). Kirsten Clemens is seventh in shots per game (2.93) and tied with Cristina Rodriguez for eighth in goals per game (0.40) and for ninth in points per game (1.07). Danielle Tolmais is eighth in assists per game (0.33).
SCOUTING DAVIDSON – The Wildcats were 6-11-4 overall and 4-5-1 (seventh) in the Southern Conference a year ago. Following a 2-0 win at St. Bonaventure in its A-10 debut, Davidson has suffered four consecutive 1-0 losses in league play. Senior forward Stephanie Piperno (3G, 1A) and junior midfielder Vicky Bruce (2G, 3A) lead the Wildcats with seven points apiece. Senior Rachel Locke has played every minute in goal and has a 1.15 goals against average, an .806 save percentage and four shutouts. Davidson is tied for third in the A-10 in fewest goals allowed. The Billikens and Wildcats have met once before, with SLU claiming a 2-0 victory on a neutral field in 2002.
BILLIKENS PICKED FOURTH IN A-10 PRESEASON POLL; WRIGHT HONORED – Saint Louis was tabbed for a fourth-place finish in the 2014 Atlantic 10 Conference standings in the A-10 head coaches' preseason poll. Senior defender Mary Wright was selected to the preseason All-Conference team.
HEAD COACH KATIE SHIELDS – Katie Shields, the third head coach in Saint Louis women's soccer history, is in her second season guiding the Billikens and her third campaign on the Billiken staff. Shields was a SLU assistant coach in 2012. Prior to her arrival at Saint Louis, Shields spent two seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Northwestern. She served three years in the same capacities at her alma mater, Harvard, where she helped guide the Crimson to Ivy League titles and NCAA Championship berths in 2008 and 2009. Shields began her coaching career with a one-year stint as an assistant at Cal Irvine. In addition to her collegiate coaching experience, she served as assistant goalkeeping coach for the Boston Breakers of Women's Professional Soccer in 2009; head coach of the Boston Bolts F.C. girls' youth clubs for two years; and camp director/senior staff member of Soccerplus Goalkeeper School from 2006-11. She also has assisted with the U.S. Under-18 Women's National Team. Shields is a 2006 graduate of Harvard with a bachelor's degree in government. She is joined on the sideline by assistant coaches Scott Gloden and Vince Gentile and senior graduate manager Jessie Jarrett.
UP NEXT – The Billikens close the regular season with two home games. SLU hosts VCU Friday, Oct. 31, at 7 p.m. and George Washington Sunday, Nov. 2, at 11:30 a.m.