Women's Soccer Earns 1-1 Draw with No. 21 Saint Louis

Wednesday, September 6

Providence, R.I.

7 p.m.

Brown University

3-1-1, 0-0-0

Saint Louis

4-2-1, 0-0-0

Saint Louis

Brown

Photo by: Emma C. Marion

Women's Soccer Earns 1-1 Draw with No. 21 Saint Louis

9/6/2023 10:01:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Photo Gallery

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Brittany Raphino's goal in the 65^th minute proved to be the deciding factor in Brown' women's soccer's team 1-1 tie with No. 21 Saint Louis Wednesday evening in front of a packed house at Stevenson-Pincince Field.

The game featured a pair of top 25 teams as the Bears (3-1-1) were ranked No. 23 heading into the matchup with the Billikens (4-2-1).

"It was a great battle between two really good teams," head coach Kia McNeill said. "We're in some top 25 polls, they're in some top 25 polls and I think today proves that we can play with the best of the best in the country. Saint Louis is a team that continually wins their conference year after year, as are we, so I think it was a great matchup, a great battle. A good result on the day."

Saint Louis got out to a fast start, capitalizing on the Bears' inability to fully clear the ball out of their own box. In just the second minute of action, Julia Simon stopped an attempted clear just inside the 18-yard box and let a low, hard shot go that cut through the defense and into the goal.

Brown would attempt to answer quickly when, in the seventh minute, Ava Seelenfreund's shot on a free kick from about 20 yards out looked destined for the top right corner, but the Billiken's Emily Puricelli made an impressive save to keep the Bears off the board.

Raphino would put a couple of looks on frame, both at the end of the first half and at the beginning of the second, but couldn't get one to go until the 65^th minute.

Gianna De Priest settled a ball in the midfield and, while under pressure, was able to get a long ball off that Raphino was first to after out-running a Saint Louis defender. Reminiscent of her goal in the team's last game against UCSD, Raphino used a touch to maneuver around the goalkeeper and slotted the ball into the open net.

"I just knew that G was going to play a ball over the top," Raphino said. "It was just a foot race at that point. She played a beautiful ball, it was just about getting in front of the defender and having composure at the end of the day."

As time ran down, both teams pushed for the go-ahead goal, but neither was able to find it.

In the 72^nd minute, Raphino sent a screamer towards the top of the net, but Puricelli came up big again and was got just enough on it to tip it over the crossbar.

Saint Louis wouldn't go down without a fight either, as they put three looks on goal during the final 20 minutes, but Clare Gagne was up to the task, stopping all of them.

On the day, the Billikens outshot the Bears 12-11, but Brown held the edge in shots on goal at 6-4. Saint Louis earned 12 corners to Brown's three.
The Bears will host another high-profile matchup at Stevenson-Pincince this Sunday, Sept. 10 at 12 p.m. when they take on Wake Forest.

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