Billikens Stiffle Owls, 7-0 :: Kasunich had eight saves on the day

Oct. 22, 2006

St. Louis, Mo. -

The Saint Louis Billikens built a 4-0 halftime lead and never looked back en route to a 7-0 defeat of the visiting Temple Owls women's soccer team on Sunday afternoon. SLU outshot Temple, 20-4, including 15 shots on goal as TU keeper Tiffany Kasunich collected eight saves for the Owls. Temple falls to 3-13 overall, 0-7 in A-10 play, while Saint Louis improves to 10-3-2 and 5-2 in the Conference.

The Billikens were offensive from the opening kickoff with Julia Bradenberg putting SLU up 1-0 in the 12th minute. Courtney Hulser sent a long pass to the top of the box off a short free kick from Tara Gresco. Bradenberg settled the serve, battled around a pair of defenders to the left corner of the box and sent a low drive skidding to the far post.

Lauren Bozesky pushed the lead to 2-0 with a tap-in at the goal line in the 20th minute. Dee Guempel and Cassi Winchell combined for a 1-2 combination on the left side of the box, and Guempel sent a serve across the face of the goal. Kasunich came out to challenge the cross, but the ball found its way around the Temple keeper to Bozesky at the goal line. Three minutes later, Winchell picked up the first of her two goals on the afternoon. Bradenberg sent a cross from right to deep on the left side where Guempel headed it toward the goal. Kasunich got a hand on the shot, but the rebound found Winchell four yards out for the easy strike.

The Billiken lead grew to 4-0 just before halftime with freshman Ashley Hayes collected her first career points. Freshman Maggie Farrell took a throw-in from Winchell on the left side of the field, beat two defenders and sent a serve to the far post. Kasunich again tipped the cross but saw the ball fall at Hayes' feet two yards off the goal line.

The Owls got off their first shot of the game in the 54th minute when Elena Hekimian sent one just over the crossbar. SLU came right back with another goal three minutes later. Bradenberg found Maureen Hughes at the top of the box, and the senior lofted the shot just over the out-stretched hands of Kasunich. Winchell made it a 6-0 margin when she found the back of the net for the second time. Bozesky worked the ball up the right side of the field and curled a serve to the far post that Kasunich misjudged, leaving Winchell open for the half-volley.

Temple challenged SLU keeper Amber Zdanovec, who had taken over for Hannah Koesterer in the second half, with a dangerous deadball from Cori Gallagher in the 68th minute, but the freshman net-minder held onto the shutout. Friday night's hero Kelly Waeckerle closed out the scoring for the Billikens with an unassisted strike in the 85th minute. Her 14-yard loft tucked just under the crossbar for the seventh tally of the game.

Temple returns home to close out the 2006 season on Friday, October 27 when it takes on Fordham at 3 p.m.