Redhawks give SLU a scare but fall 2-1

ST. LOUIS -- The Southeast Missouri State women's soccer team gave nationally ranked St. Louis University all it could handle Monday night before the host Billikens squeezed out a 2-1 victory.

No. 28 SLU broke a 1-1 tie by scoring with six minutes remaining. The Bills (5-1-2) then withstood a near-goal by the Redhawks (3-4) in the closing seconds.

Southeast pressured the SLU end in the late going and Jessica Kaiz sent a hard shot toward the net that was stopped by SLU keeper Hannah Koesterer, who barely prevented the ball from crossing the goal line.

The Bills went ahead 1-0 on a penalty kick by Maureen Hughes 19:35 into the first half.

Southeast tied the contest in the 29th minute, as freshman Courtney Alexander scored her team-leading sixth goal of the season, off an assist by Blair Schuppan, who sent a corner kick to Alexander.

That's the way things stood until Hughes scored the tie-breaking goal.

SLU held an 11-3 advantage in shots. Southeast keeper Lindsay Pickering was credited with six saves, including a spectacular stop in the first half. Koesterer made two saves.

"We played very well. We really gave St. Louis U. a contest," Southeast coach Heather Nelson said. "It was our best game of the season, and I'm excited because the timing is perfect going into the conference season."

The Redhawks begin Ohio Valley Conference play Friday, hosting Murray State at 7 p.m.