SEASON-OPENING TRAVELS CONTINUE – Saint Louis women's soccer (1-1) plays two more road games this weekend, both in the state of Iowa. The Billikens take on Drake (1-1) in Des Moines Friday, Aug. 29, at 6 p.m. SLU then travels to Ames for a 1 p.m. meeting with Iowa State (1-1) Sunday, Aug. 31.

FOLLOWING THE ACTION – Free live statistics are available for both games this weekend. Also, a video stream (fee required) is available for the game at Iowa State. 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.

BILLIKENS SPLIT ON OPENING WEEKEND – Saint Louis fell 3-2 in overtime at UT Martin in the season opener Aug. 22 but rebounded strongly to win 4-1 at Evansville Aug. 24. Kirsten Clemens and Lindsay Elking, assisted by Livi Logan-Wood and Mary Wright, respectively, scored goals at UT Martin, and Hanna Benben made seven saves. Clemens and Elking also tallied at Evansville, and Clemens assisted on Elking's goal. Danielle Tolmais (Molly Ream assist) and Cristina Rodriguez found the back of the net against the Purple Aces as well, and Benben turned away four shots on frame.

OFFENSE SHOWS POSITIVE SIGNS – The Billikens scored six goals in their first two games, the most for a SLU team since the 2003 squad recorded seven goals in its first two contests. Seven different players picked up at least one point during the opening weekend. Kirsten Clemens leads the team with five points (2G, 1A), followed by Lindsay Elking with four points (2G).

ABOUT THE BILLIKENS – Saint Louis returns 17 players, including nine starters, from last year's 6-10-3 team that tied for second place (5-2-1) in the Atlantic 10 Conference. The returning starters are senior defenders Maddy Bush (2G) and Mary Wright; senior forward Lindsay Elking (1A); junior goalkeeper Hanna Benben (1.54 GAA, four shutouts); junior defender Michelle Schwarz; sophomore forwards Cristina Rodriguez (2G, 1A, A-10 All-Rookie) and Kirsten Clemens (1G, 1A); sophomore midfielder Tori Marshall (1A); and sophomore defender Kacey Bright. Also returning are senior defenders Andrea Strebler and Julia Merlo; junior forward Livi Logan-Wood (5G, 1A, team-high 11 points); junior midfielders Jamie Borges (1G, 2A) and Katelyn Hammarlund; junior defender Colleen Cole; sophomore midfielder Shaney Sakamoto; and sophomore defender Alyssa Mastroianni.

TEN NEWCOMERS ON BOARD – The Billikens welcome a sophomore transfer and nine freshmen to the 2014 team. Midfielder Danielle Tolmais joins the squad after registering four assists at the University of Memphis a year ago. The freshman class consists of forwards Jordan Catalano, Madi Mann and Danielle Manning; midfielders Lauren Merlo, Molly Ream and Lauren Tondl; defender Allison Birke; and goalkeepers Mary Niehaus and Tristin Stuteville.

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.

SCOUTING DRAKE – The Bulldogs, picked to finish sixth in the Missouri Valley Conference, have six starters and seven additional players back from last year's 3-12-5 team that placed sixth (1-4-1) in the MVC. Drake opened the 2014 campaign with a 3-0 loss to Boise State before bouncing back to edge Utah Valley 1-0. Sophomore midfielder Rebecca Rodgers leads the returning players after recording a team-high-tying five goals a year ago. Rodgers was selected to the All-Conference second team and the MVC All-Freshman team. Senior forward Ashlie Stokes, who collected four goals and two assists in 2013, and sophomore defender Sarah Grace Nicholson, who joined Rodgers on the All-Freshman squad, also are back. Saint Louis won the only previous meeting, 2-0 at Hermann Stadium, in 2006.

SCOUTING IOWA STATE – The Cyclones were selected eighth in the Big 12 Conference preseason poll after tying for fourth place (9-9-2 overall, 3-4-1 conference) in 2013. Sophomore forward Koree Willer (4G, 6A) is Iowa State's top returnee. In a 5-1 season-opening triumph at Mississippi State, sophomore forward Adalie Schmidt scored two goals while Willer, redshirt senior midfielder Margaret Powers and senior defender Maggie Bruckman notched a goal apiece. Freshman forward Maribell Morales had two assists, and senior goalkeeper Andrea Swanson made five saves. The Cyclones followed with a 1-0 loss at Mississippi. Iowa State leads the series 1-0 following last year's 2-0 victory at Hermann Stadium.