Senior goalkeeper Mary Niehaus, sophomore defender Alli Klug and freshman midfielder Olivia Petit of the Saint Louis University women’s soccer team have been selected to the United Soccer Coaches All-East Region first team by a vote of the region’s head coaches.
This is the first time in SLU women’s soccer history that three Billikens have earned first-team All-Region plaudits. Niehaus garnered her second All-Region nod after collecting third-team accolades last season.
Saint Louis’ three first-team selections are second only to Duke, which landed four players on the top squad.
Niehaus, Klug and Petit picked up Atlantic 10 Conference postseason honors earlier this month. All three were named to the All-Conference first team – Niehaus for a second consecutive season – while Klug and Petit earned A-10 Defensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year recognition, respectively.
Niehaus led the A-10 in goals against average (0.52) and was second in wins (15), save percentage (.861) and shutouts (10). She was 11th in GAA and 18th in save percentage and shutouts in the national rankings. In addition, Niehaus set Saint Louis single-season records for wins and GAA and tied for third on SLU’s single-season shutouts list.
A two-time A-10 Defensive Player of the Week, Niehaus concluded the season second in GAA (0.67), third in wins (29), tied for third in shutouts (19) and sixth in saves (125) on the Billikens’ career charts. She joined Meghann Burke(Conference USA, 2000 and 2002) as the only Saint Louis goalkeepers to earn first-team All-Conference plaudits twice.
Klug’s performance along the back line helped lift Saint Louis to the top of the A-10 in goals against average (0.49) and shutouts (13, including seven vs. A-10 opponents). The Billikens were 10th in the nation in both categories. Her 1,716 minutes (85.8 per game) ranked second among Billiken field players, and she played every minute in 16 of SLU’s 20 games. Klug and her teammates allowed just 8.5 total shots, 3.9 shots on goal and 2.6 corner kicks per game.
Klug earned an A-10 Defensive Player of the Week award, and she also contributed in the attacking third by scoring five goals, all against conference foes. She netted game-winners in consecutive contests vs. George Washington (in the 90th minute) and Rhode Island.
Petit led SLU with eight goals and 20 points, tying for fourth place on the Billikens’ all-time season lists for freshmen in both categories. She was fifth in points per game (1.00) and eighth in goals per game (0.40) in the A-10.
Petit tallied game-winning goals vs. Vanderbilt and Saint Joseph’s, and she recorded four of her eight goals and three of her four assists vs. conference opponents. She garnered an A-10 Offensive Player of the Week award and twice picked up A-10 Rookie of the Week accolades.
