Sept. 14, 2006

Box Score

ST. LOUIS - Illinois lost a heartbreaking double-overtime match to Saint Louis despite controlling both overtime periods, falling 2-1 at Robert R. Hermann Stadium. Billiken forward Julia Bradenburg supplied both goals for SLU as the Illini drop to 3-4-0 on the season and 0-2 in overtime matches.

"We played some great soccer tonight," Illinois coach Janet Rayfield said. "But with this game, you can play great and if you don't put the ball in the back of the net you give teams chances and tonight they took advantage of two of them."

Illinois started the scoring in the 15th minute when senior forward Eva Strickland (Seattle, Wash.) dribbled to the end line and served across the box, where she found sophomore midfielder Marti Desjarlais (Pewaukee, Wis.), who headed it in from eight yards out for a 1-0 Illini lead. That lead held until halftime despite the Billikens out-shooting Illinois 4-3 at halftime and out-cornering the Illini 4-3.

But Saint Louis broke through in the 51st minute when Julia Bradenburg collected a deflection at the top of the 18-yard box and put it over Illinois keeper Lindsey Carstens' right shoulder into the net to tie the match 1-1. The rest of the second half was played very end-to-end, with loose play in the midfield from both teams. The Illini had a handful of corner kicks, but two headers from Emily Zurrer (Vancouver, B.C.) were saved by Billikens.

In overtime, Illinois got an early chance when Jessica Bayne drew a foul just outside the 18-yard box. Ella Masar took the free kick, which ricocheted off a SLU defender and to the foot of Zurrer. Zurrer wound up, but her shot was wide left into the side netting in the 93rd minute.

Then, in the 97th minute, the Illini got the ball deep in the Billiken third and Paula Faherty popped a ball high into the six-yard box, but SLU keeper Hanna Koesterer smothered it in mid-air. A little over a minute later, Masar made a run down the right flank, cut the ball into the open middle of the field, but her right-footed shot went right into Koesterer's midsection, sending the match into a second overtime.

Less than 30 seconds into the second overtime, Chichi Nweke took a ball down the left flank and cut into the middle, where she passed to Masar. Masar chipped to Bayne, who dished to a wide-open Desjarlais. Desjarlais just missed the shot as Koesterer was able to cover it in the lower corner of the net.

"We created the things we needed to create to win the game," Rayfield said. "Our soccer has improved so much from our end line to the top of their 18-yard box it's incredible. Now we just need to get some confidence in putting the ball in the net."

Off a free kick following Desjarlais' shot, SLU worked the ball into the end line, where they crossed back to the center. Carstens went up for the ball, but Bradenburg was able to head it just past her and off Illini defender Jessica Levitt's foot into the net at 102:09 for the golden goal.

The Illini return home to face No. 12 Utah Sunday at 1 p.m. at Illinois Soccer and Track Stadium.