PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Saint Louis' Brandon Barklage (CBC) scored a goal with less than 15 minutes remaining in regulation to help the 17th-ranked Saint Louis Billikens to a 2-0 victory over Fordham in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic 10 Conference Men's Soccer Championship at Duquesne University's Rooney Field. Kyle Hayes (CBC) tallied a late insurance marker for SLU.
 
        With the win, the fourth-seeded Billikens (11-3-5) advance to face top-seeded Massachusetts Friday evening at 5 p.m. (CT).
 
        Barklage's game winner, his seventh tally of the season, came after the two teams traded possessions in an evenly played second half. After Josh Aranda sent a ball to the right corner, Kyle Patterson served Barklage near the top of the penalty area. He settled it, turned and fired to the top-left corner of the net, just out of the reach of the sprawling Fordham keeper.
 
        The Bills' staunch back line fought off several late runs by a surging Rams team, which finished their season 9-8-2. Hayes' goal, his fifth of the year, came off a Dado Hamzagic pass in the 89th minute.
 
        Earlier in the second half, the Billikens nearly claimed the lead when Jimmy Holmes controlled a loose ball, but his drive deflected off the goal post. Fordham had its best chance to get on the scoreboard with 30 minutes remaining in regulation, but SLU keeper Pat Disbennett dove to his right to save an Abe Chehebar shot.
 
        The two teams traded possessions in a scoreless opening half, with the Billikens maintaining the most consistent pressure with a 11-5 lead in shots and a 3-2 advantage in corner kicks.
 
        Barklage had the first legitimate scoring chance for Saint Louis 16 minutes into the contest when he rifled a 20-yard screamer to the left post, but Fordham's Ryan Meara was there to make the stop.
 
        With less than 10 minutes left in the opening half, the Billikens generated a flurry of chances. Dado Hamzagic fired a 15-yarder from the right side that Meara corralled at the near post. Later, Patterson lifted a ball to Scott Wisniewski in the box. Wisniewski left it for Holmes, who fired a shot that deflected of Meara's gloves.
 
        The Billikens and UMass, which received a first-round bye in the tournament, met once earlier this season with the Minutemen claiming a 1-0 victory in Amherst.