LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. - The Siena field hockey team persevered through a gritty defensive showdown with Saint Louis Friday, winning 1-0 after senior captain Lisa Heimerle scored her second goal of the season.

After a scoreless first half where Heimerle took all three shots recorded, the Saints (2-9) capitalized on a penalty corner in the 58th minute. Junior Mackenzie Smith took the corner, and her pass found Heimerle, who flicked the ball into the back of the net.

"We didn't start out clicking on all cylinders," head coach Bill Davidson said. "We relied on our tenacity and toughness to carry us into the second half. We were able to gain some significant penetrations towards the end of the game, and we were able to finish in the last 12 minutes with a well-executed short corner."

The Billikens (0-13) managed just two shots the entire game. Junior Allison Baillargeon recorded Siena's lone save, and was credited with the first win of her career after relieving freshman Beth Meyers in the 44th minute of action.

Saint Louis had a chance to tie the game with 8 minutes to go, as they earned their second penalty corner of the final 35 minutes. However, the Saints defense held, and the offense maintained possession for most of the way until the final whistle blew.

The Saints will next play Sunday, when they travel to Bryant for a 1 P.M. tilt. Their next home contest is set for Friday, October 15th, at 4 P.M., when they host Robert Morris.