ST. LOUIS – Saint Louis scored three goals in the second half en route to a 3-1 victory against Evansville Saturday night at Hermann Stadium.
The Billikens, who entered the week receiving votes in the NSCAA coaches poll, improve to 4-1 on the season. SLU went 2-0 this week, with its other win against fifth-ranked Louisville. Evansville falls to 1-3-1.
"We had a lot of guys step up for us in the second half," SLU head coach Mike McGinty said. "Raymond Lee, David Graydon, William Hidalgo and Kingsley Bryce were more aggressive in the attacking third in the second half and that paid off huge for us. I'm pleased with how we played, there were a lot of great moments."
SLU Starters – GK: Sascha Otte. D: Tyler David, Julian Gieseke, Anthony Manning. MF: Marco Heskamp, David Graydon, Raymond Lee, Patrick Sarr, Francisco Vizcaino. F: Kingsley Bryce, William Hidalgo.
SLU Subs – Filip Pavisic (Sarr), second half; Max Karcher (Lee), second half; Josh Kohring (80:53), second half.
SLU Goals – Lee (Bryce, Heskamp), 45:49; Graydon (Hidalgo), 52:09; Manning (Graydon), 75:40.
Following a first half that saw the teams combine for just six shots, both teams came out hot in the second session. It didn't take long for the Billikens to strike as senior midfielder Raymond Lee put the Billikens on the board in the 46th minute. Senior forward Kingsley Bryce fed junior midfielder Marco Heskamp, who sent a ball across the box. It came to Lee, and he fired from roughly eight yards out into the right side for his first goal of the season.
Junior midfielder David Graydon made it 2-0 minutes later. Off a quick touch from senior forward William Hidalgo, Graydon rifled a screamer from the top of the box that found the back of the net. It was Graydon's first of the year.
Evansville got one back seconds later when Charlie Macias scored for Evansville at the 52:41 mark.
Senior defender Anthony Manning gave the Billikens a two-goal cushion in the 76th minute. Graydon started the scoring play with a perfectly flighted corner kick to the far post, where Manning headed it in to make it 3-1.
SLU outshot Evansville 16-7 and had a 9-3 advantage in corner kicks.
The Billikens return to action Tuesday, Sept. 16, when they host UMKC (1-2-1) at Hermann Stadium. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m.
