Everyone has heard of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but a lesser known post-Thanksgiving day to spend money is known as Giving Tuesday. The Saint Louis University Field Hockey team was challenged by their Graduate Assistant Coach, Dominique Masters, to participate either as individuals or as a group to find ways to give back. The team decided to all pitch in $7.75 and raised a total of $132 for “More Than Me,” an organization focused on providing girls in Liberia with education and healthcare. Their mission focuses on using education as a catalyst for transformative social change for every girl in Liberia. Coach Masters found out about Giving Tuesday through social media and she “wanted the team to embrace [the] challenge because it is something worthwhile [and] spreads kindness and creates an impact, big or small.”

Junior Monica Ryan took to the challenge right away and proposed the idea of donating to “More Than Me” as a team, asking each member to give just a little amount.

Liberia’s education system is in a state of emergency, leaving many of the people illiterate and in need of some kind of schooling. Due to a civil war in Liberia, 80 percent of schools were left in shambles and 65 percent of school age children don’t attend any type of school. In 2013, all 25,000 applicants to the University of Liberia failed the entrance exam. About 73 percent of all women are illiterate and only 20 percent of students that enroll in first grade go on to enroll in 12th grade. “I feel really good about getting the whole team on board. We can do more good together than on our own,” said Ryan.

Freshman Jordan BeSore said, “It’s really important to give back, especially to an area or organization you’re passionate about, [like education]. I feel very proud of our team, because I know we all really care about education for women, and it’s something we can all relate to. I’m blessed being able to get a higher education and I want to be able to spread this ability to other girls too, and I’m so blessed to be part of a team that values this as well.”

After donating, the team learned that all donations made on Giving Tuesday to “More Than Me” was matched by a generous donor to the organization. Therefore, $264 was donated in the name of Saint Louis University Field Hockey. Coach Masters said, “Hearing that the team had come together as one group to raise the money for ‘More Than Me’ made me feel so proud! They had the power to choose what they wanted to do as individuals or as groups, and for them to come together as a unit highlights their strength and thoughtfulness as a team.”

The Saint Louis Field Hockey team wrapped up their season with a 3-0 loss Friday, Oct. 27, in a conference game against Virginia Commonwealth University at home at Sportport International. The team celebrated its five seniors, Morgan Crowe, Katie Moss, Emily Myers, Hanna Smith, and Carli Wolfe, at the game with a rock-star theme that was very fitting for the group of girls. The team finished 4-12 on the year, the best season for SLU Field Hockey since the 2008 season in which they also won four games.  

VCU was able to put two past freshman goalkeeper Bailey Foreman in the first half and one in the second to top the Billikens 3-0 in their final game of the 2017 season. At the conclusion of the season, junior Carly Kissinger lead the team with 14 points (5 goals, 4 assists) followed by Moss and Erica Bondoc with nine (3 goals, 3 assists each).  

As the five Field Hockey seniors hang up their Blue and Grey jerseys for the last time, they will take the memories of the last four years and how playing a collegiate sport has affected their lives with them forever. A favorite memory many of them shared was the dance competitions they had in hotels during travel trips.

Smith said, “we used to meet in a hotel room and split up into teams. Then we would go off and make a dance routine and the people that didn’t want to dance would judge it. It was so much fun and really helped us as a team to laugh with each other. It translated onto the field and helped us play better together.” Smith is going to miss everyone’s “drive and dedication to play and get better.”  

“These past four years have been a rollercoaster of ups and downs,” said Crowe. “We have had heartbreaking losses and memorable wins. I am most thankful for the friends that I have made along this crazy journey. Without my teammates, I would not be the person I am today and I can’t thank them enough for it.”

Myers said, “Playing [field hockey] allowed me to be a part of something bigger than myself that pushed me to be a better person. I made some of my best friends while playing.”

“I love the game and what it has done for me,” Wolfe said. “Because of field hockey, I have met incredible girls and it led me to St. Louis where I met my future husband.”

Moss added, “SLU Field Hockey has brought me so many memories and has helped shape me into the strong woman I am today. I have gained not only incredible friendships but a built-in family even though I am so far away from home. I am going to miss the competitive aspect of the game and playing alongside an amazing group of girls.”

Billiken Field Hockey will miss the passion the class of 2018 brought to the field as well as their immense leadership and inspiration on and off the hockey field.  Best of luck, girls!

The SLU Men’s and Women’s Cross Country teams were in action last Friday, Oct. 13, and Saturday, Oct. 14. The men’s team participated in the NCAA Pre-National Invitational in Louisville, Ky., while the women were in Peoria, Ill., for the Bradley Pink Classic.

The women’s team traveled to Peoria, Ill., for the Bradley Pink Classic hosted by Bradley University on Friday, Oct. 13. Senior Katie Anderson led the Billikens with a 48th place finish and a time of 22:01.9 in the 6K race. Anderson was followed by fellow senior Courtney Link who finished 50th overall and junior Anna Schmitz who finished 59th. The women’s team is also preparing for the A-10 Conference meet on Oct. 28.

The men’s team had a strong showing in the NCAA Pre-National Invitational on Friday, Oct. 14. Junior Manuel De Backer finished first for the Billikens and 59th overall with a time of 24:08.7, just one minute behind the winner and second in SLU school history for an 8K race. He was just two seconds short of Tim Zellmer’s record which was set in 2013. Sophomore Aaron Dugan finished second on the team for the race and junior Dorrian Gordon finished third. The men are preparing for the A-10 Conference meet coming up on Oct. 28 in Fairfax, Va.

The Billiken Field Hockey team was back in action at home Friday, Oct. 6 for a conference matchup against visiting Lock Haven, as well as the following Friday for another conference game against the No. 21 ranked Minutewomen from the University of Massachusetts. Both games ended in a loss despite a close second-half comeback effort against UMass, dropping the team to 4-9 on the year.

Against Lock Haven, SLU managed to out corner the Bald Eagles 7-6 but were unable to capitalize on the attack. Lock Haven was able to find the back of the net twice in each stanza to win it 4-0. Freshman defender Noor Kalf said, “We cut well and were in dangerous, highpressure positions, but we were just unable to possess the ball like we normally do.”

A week later, the Billikens took on No. 21 UMass in another conference showdown that ended on an exciting scoring surge from SLU to end the game. Junior Carly Kissinger found the back of the cage on a corner shot and, just four minutes later, senior Katie Moss added another off a corner to bring the game within one with six minutes left in regulation. Kissinger said, “We played our game in the second half more and we were able to move the ball around UMass’s defense. I think that [scoring] definitely helped increase our energy as a team and with that momentum we were able to finish the game stronger.”

The Billikens head to North Carolina to take on Appalachian State and Davidson this Thursday and Saturday for their last away matches before their final game of the season next Friday, Oct. 27, against VCU. The last game will be senior day so come out and support the field hockey senior class for their final game in blue.

SLU softball began its fall ball schedule on the road at SIU Carbondale against the hosting Salukis and a neutral-state game against Murray State. Overall, the Billikens played good defense but lacked hitting in important situations.  

Against SIU Carbondale, the Billikens started with a 2-0 lead going into the 5th inning off RBIs from junior Allie Macfarlane and freshman Kat Lane. In the game, freshman Sadie Wise hit a single, Kaylyn Breitbach walked twice and scored, and Mackenzie Lawson hit a single and scored. Junior Kallen Loveless pitched a no-hitter up until the 4th inning in her first game back from injury, and Kaylea Chappelle closed the game on the mound.  

The Bills suffered their second consecutive loss against Murray State in a 4-0 game at SIU Carbondale.  Senior Maddie Baalman pitched the entire game with only one earned run against, the other three coming on defensive errors. Junior Krystina Kernich had a base hit and freshman Alyssa Chavez walked twice.  

SLU softball is back this Saturday at home in a double-header, first against Rockhurst at noon followed by Jefferson College at 4 p.m.

SLU’s field hockey team traveled to Philadelphia, Pa. last weekend to open their conference play on the road at St. Joseph’s followed by La Salle.  Going into the weekend, the Billikens held a 3-2 record, but fell to both teams to start conference play 0-2 and falling to 3-4 overall.

At St. Joseph’s, the Bills held the No. 19 Hawks to a 0-0 game at the half but couldn’t hold off the strong attack in the second half. Junior Carly Kissinger took four shots and had SLU’s only two shots on cage in the match. Seniors Katie Moss and Carli Wolfe both also recorded a shot in the game. Freshman Lillian Cossetto played all 70 minutes in the net and recorded seven saves in the contest.  

Two days later, the Bills were back in action at La Salle University where they also fell 2-0. The team held a consistent offensive attack, outshooting the Explorers 15-8, but couldn’t find the back of the net. Freshman Julia Bakker lead the offense with four shots that were all on cage. Kissinger and Moss both had three shots and again Cossetto played all 70 minutes.  

The Billikens are back in action this Friday at home against conference foe, Richmond, and again on Sunday against Kent State.