ST. LOUIS – Saint Louis scored a season-high three goals and defeated Xavier 3-0 Friday night at Robert R. Hermann Stadium, the Billikens’ first Atlantic 10 Conference victory of the season.

SLU improved to 3-5-3 overall and 1-0-1 in the A-10, while Xavier slipped to 6-6-1, 1-2.

The Billikens tallied the only goal they would need in the 22nd minute, doubled the lead in the 43rd minute and added an insurance marker in the 59th minute. All three goals were scored on set pieces.

Maddie Gebauer got things started at 21:11 with her second goal of the season, assisted by Alli Reimer. Gebauer collected the rebound off Reimer’s free kick from 22 yards and knocked it to the right of Xavier goalkeeper Katie Markesbery for a 1-0 Saint Louis lead.

The Bills made it 2-0 at 42:09 with the first of their two goals off corner kicks. Kailey Pretzlaff gathered a loose ball following Jenny Hummert’s service and beat Markesbery from close range for her first career goal.

Hummert picked up her second assist of the evening as Saint Louis made it 3-0 at 58:56. This time it was Maddy Bush recording her first tally as a Billiken, securing the ball after the corner kick and finding the mark from the doorstep.

Katie Walsh and Hanna Benben made one save apiece and combined for the Billikens’ fifth shutout of the season. Hummert and Katelyn Hammarlund each registered three shots to lead SLU to a 15-6 advantage. The Bills earned a 6-2 edge in corners.

“It’s always fun when you put three goals in the back of the net and don’t give up any,” head coach Kat Mertz said. “I’m really proud of the girls. We’ve been working on some things, trying to get inline services and crosses off, and we did a good job of executing those. We did a really good job of getting set pieces, and we capitalized on them with good services in the box. It was a good job all around, and I’m pleased.

“It was a fun night for us, to be on our home turf and to try to set the tone for the rest of the A-10 schedule,” Mertz said. “Now we have to start preparing for a good Dayton team. It should be a fun match on Sunday.”

Saint Louis and Dayton meet at Hermann Stadium Sunday at 1 p.m.

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