It was a long climb for St. Louis University from a 1-3 start back into the national soccer spotlight with a No. 21 ranking this week, just in time for the start of the Billikens’ defense of their Atlantic 10 tournament championship.
Despite the mounting success, a loss at this point would create a long, agonizing wait with the hope of an NCAA Tournament berth in the hands of the selection committee.
To maintain hope in the A-10 quarterfinals Wednesday night, SLU had to overcome Massachusetts and then the wind, which was gusting to 30 mph at Hermann Stadium.
CJ Coppola scored in the fifth minute and SLU’s defense then held its ground as the Billikens won 1-0 for their sixth consecutive win. The Billikens advanced to the semifinals Wednesday at home.
The Minutemen were unable to take advantage of having the wind at their backs in the second half.
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“We knew it was going to be harder to keep the ball in their half like we did in the first half,” SLU center back Alberto Suarez said. “We needed to read the long balls better and stay more connected, covering for each other, and I think we did a very good job. I don’t think they got many balls behind us.”
The teams combined for 29 shots with SLU holding an 18-11 advantage. But 23 shots came at the north end, the direction the wind was blowing.
The first real chance at a wind-aided goal didn’t come until the second half when Aidan Kelly took a free kick for UMass well outside the shooting zone. The ball took one hop and almost bounced over the head of charging SLU goalkeeper Carlos Tofern, who jumped to make a save.
Coppola’s goal came quickly on a crossing pass from John Klein, but SLU’s continued pressure was unable to generate an insurance goal.
“We wanted to keep playing in their half as much as possible,” SLU coach Kevin Kalish said of the second half. “We knew on any re-starts (by UMass), the ball would have flown in our box and caused havoc.”
The Billikens (11-4-1) have won 10 of their last 12 with one draw and one loss. The win allowed them to improve four spots in the RPI to No. 19.
Since surrendering 10 goals in the first four games, the Billikens have limited opponents to 10 in the last 12 games with three shutouts in the last four.
The rebuilt back line has solidified after Kalish merged four players who had to learn to play together for the first time this season.
“It was tough at the beginning to get those connections,” Suarez said. “You need time to build. Those losses at the beginning were hard but helped create those connections and trust.”
Wind was a factor even before the game when a gust tipped a shelter for the SLU bench. SLU had the stiff breeze at its back in the first half, heading towards the north goal and pushing the ball upfield at every opportunity early in the game.
UMass goalkeeper Matt Zambetti had trouble delivering kicks out of the Minutemen’s half of the field. Tofern, on the other hand, at one point was able to deliver a low line drive the length of the field.
But SLU’s goal in the first half had nothing to do with the conditions but rather with the setup of a set piece from a corner kick.
The Billikens played the ball short and Klein took a return pass that he in turn centered from the wing. Coppola was there to get his head on the ball to get SLU on the scoreboard.
They were otherwise unable to take advantage of what appeared to be a significant advantage. SLU outshot UMass 13-1 in the first half, including 4-0 on goal, and had a 4-0 advantage in corner kicks but only the one goal.
UMass was without its leading goal scorer, Alec Hughes, who picked up his fifth yellow card of the season in the team’s last game. It came after he scored the winning goal with 20 seconds left in regulation against Dayton.
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