AN ENCORE PERFORMANCE: 2006 BILLIKENS RETURN TO NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP
Needless to say, the 2006 Saint Louis University women's soccer team had much to live up to. The Billikens had enjoyed a euphoric 2005 campaign – SLU's first year in the Atlantic 10 Conference – that saw them collect a then-school-record 16 wins (16-5); go undefeated (8-0 regular season, 2-0 A-10 Championship) against conference opponents; capture the league's regular-season and tournament titles; and reach the second round in the program's first NCAA Championship appearance.
 
Among the Billikens' 19 veterans on the 2006 squad were nine returning starters, a group that included All-Conference first-team selections Courtney Hulcer, Maureen Hughes and Tara Gresco.
 
Saint Louis tied a school record by playing four nationally ranked opponents in 2006; the Bills met three of those foes before the season was a month old. SLU fell at No. 12 Duke in the Aug. 25 season opener, tied No. 17 Marquette Sept. 6 and posted a double-overtime victory over No. 18 Illinois Sept. 14. The Billikens added wins over Missouri State, Loyola (Md.), Toledo and Southeast Missouri State, and a draw vs. Arizona State, to carry a 5-1-2 record into conference play.
 
In an odd twist to the Atlantic 10 slate, Saint Louis played its first five conference games on the road and its final four at home. After downing Duquesne and St. Bonaventure to remain unblemished in the A-10, the Billikens fell at Fordham and Xavier in their next two contests. SLU responded to those defeats positively, however, claiming wins over Dayton, Saint Joseph's (overtime), Temple, Massachusetts and Rhode Island to finish with a 7-2 conference mark.
 
The win over Rhode Island allowed the Billikens to tie the Rams for second place and earn a first-round bye as the No. 2 seed in the A-10 Championship, which SLU hosted at Robert R. Hermann Stadium. Just five days after concluding the regular season against each other, the teams staged a rematch in the semifinals. Dee Guempel, with Jacqui Smith assisting for her first career point, scored in the 24th minute, and goalkeeper Hannah Koesterer and the Billiken defense did the rest to secure a 1-0 victory.
 
A chance for revenge awaited Saint Louis in the championship game as fifth-seeded Fordham, an upset winner over top-seeded Charlotte in the semifinals, was the opponent. After the Rams took the lead in the 22nd minute, Maggie Farrell (Guempel assist) netted the equalizer – her first collegiate goal – in the 36th minute, and the teams went to intermission deadlocked 1-1. Julia Bradenberg, assisted by Cassi Winchell and Mary Green, tallied one of her SLU season-high 10 goals in the 53rd minute to break the tie, and the Billikens held on for a 2-1 triumph and a second straight trip to the NCAA Championship.
 
Saint Louis was given the nod to host Drake in the NCAA opening round. The Bills grabbed an early advantage on a goal by Hughes (Green) in the 19th minute and clung to the slim margin until the 71st minute, when a goal by Bradenberg (Winchell) doubled the lead. That's the way it ended, and the Billikens were in the national round of 32 once again.
 
The Billikens welcomed Illinois to Hermann Stadium for a rematch of the regular-season battle won by SLU, 2-1, in double overtime. The 15th-ranked Fighting Illini led 2-0 at halftime, but the Bills made a game of it on a goal by Guempel (Bradenberg) in the 54th minute. However, Illinois added goals in the 61st and 78th minutes and advanced with a 4-1 victory.
 
Saint Louis finished 15-4-2 and was well-represented on various postseason awards lists. Hulcer was named to the Soccer Buzz All-America fourth team, garnered a third consecutive conference Defensive Player of the Year honor, and was named to the All-Region and All-Conference first teams. Guempel and Hughes also were selected first-team All-Conference, and Hughes was tabbed Most Outstanding Player of the A-10 Championship.
 
Guempel and Bradenberg earned inclusion on the All-Region second team. Bradenberg was voted to the Soccer Buzz freshman All-America fourth team and the All-Conference second team, and she added A-10 Rookie of the Year accolades. Green earned a second-team All-Conference nod, while Kelly Waeckerle joined Bradenberg on the A-10 All-Rookie team.