Marquette University Athletics
Marquette University
Saint Louis
Men's Soccer Upends No. 23 Saint Louis, 1-0
9/7/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Sept. 7, 2002
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MILWAUKEE - A header goal by senior defender Mike Robards (Leawood, Kan.) off a corner kick in the 16th minute gave Marquette the only goal it would need in a 1-0 win over Saint Louis. The Billikens (0-2-1, 0-1 C-USA) was ranked 23rd in the latest NSCAA top 25 poll. Marquette picks up its first win of the season and improves to 1-1 and 1-0 in Conference USA play.
Robards goal came off a corner kick fed in by senior midfielder Bryan Godfrey (Newburgh, Ind.). Godfrey's right foot came through the six-yard box to the far post. SLU goalkeeper Martin Hutton hesitated on the cross which allowed both Robards and senior defender Tom Nolan (Palatine, Ill.) both reached the through ball, but Robards was the first to put his head on it and bury it in the back of the net from four yards out.
"We spent all morning working on the free kick," Robards said. "We knew Saint Louis was a strong team and to get a goal on them, it was going to have to be something on like a set piece."
"They had a great set situation and they took advantage of it and we paid for it," said Saint Louis head coach Dan Donnigan.
Saint Louis had a couple of opportunities to tie the score, the first coming just over one minute later. After receiving a deep ball in the box, SLU midfielder Jack Jewsbury fired a shot past MU junior goalkeeper Adam Ubert (Hartland, Wis.) from 12 yards, but Nolan was precisely placed on the goal line to clear the potential Saint Louis goal.
In the 68th minute, SLU forward Nick Walls received a pass at the midfield from Jewsbury and played it to the corner upon where Jewsbury ran onto it. He then crossed a ball through the box back to Walls. Walls had an open net but was not able to settle it before his right foot from eight yards was wide past Ubert.
"We got lucky a couple of times - once when Nolan cleared off the goal line in a great scramble and once on the cross," said Marquette head coach Steve Adlard. "I give credit to our defense for the ability to shut down a team like Saint Louis."
Marquette returns to action on Wednesday, Sept. 11 against Oakland at Valley Fields. Match time is 7 p.m.
