Sept. 25, 2009

Box Score

ST. LOUIS, MO - Melissa Sanger stopped 10 shots as Saint Louis peppered the La Salle Women's Soccer goalie with 28 total attempts, however the Explorers held on to earn a 0-0 draw with the Billikens in their Atlantic 10 Conference opener Friday night at Hermann Stadium.

Sanger, who entering the week ranked eighth in the nation in save percentage (90.6%) and 37th in goals-against average (0.574), has now posted back-to-back shutouts and has four this season. She has allowed just one goal in her last 495 minutes in net.

With her current blanking, the junior has 10 in her career and with the double-digit save performance in the match, she now has 188 career saves, fifth all-time at the school. She lowered her 2009 GAA to 0.47 and increased her save percentage to 92.9%.

Saint Louis (3-4-2, 0-0-1 A-10), who was selected to finish third in the preseason conference standings, came into the game 2-0 all-time versus the Explorers, both shutouts, and had scored a total of seven goals in those contests.

The Billikens did not come close to their school record of 47 shots in a match (vs. Western Illinois in 1997), however they had 10 shots, two on net in the first half, and 16 and eight in the second.

Saint Louis goalkeeper Hannah Perry, who was 65th in the nation in GAA, did not have to make a save in the game while picking up her fifth shutout of the season, third straight. She has allowed just six goals this season, while allowing just one goal in her last 490 minutes, and lowered her GAA to 0.64.

La Salle (6-2-2, 0-0-1 A-10) managed five shots in the game with Melanie Gamble taking three, but none of them were on net.

Next up for the Explorers are the Richmond Spiders, who come to McCarthy Stadium on Sunday after suffering a 3-0 loss in their home opener against Fordham, Friday.