KINGSTON, R.I. – St. Louis(m) senior defender Tim Ream scored with four minutes remaining in regulation to lift the Billikens to a thrilling 3-2 victory against Rhode Island in the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship semifinals Friday night at the URI Soccer Complex in Kingston, R.I. The win sends the Billikens to the A-10 Championship title match, where they will face Dayton Sunday at noon (CT). The winner of that match will earn the league’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.

Ream’s game winner, his sixth goal of the year, came at the 86:09 mark. He buried a free kick from nearly 30 yards out to hand the Billikens the victory.

Rhode Island twice tied the game from one goal down following SLU tallies from Stephen Bortolon and Mike Roach.

Bortolon put the Billikens ahead 1-0 with his third goal of the season nearly 10 minutes into the contest, which was played in a steady rain with temperature dipping into the 40s. Bortolon took a pass from Roach on the right side and found the left corner of the goal at 9:56 to put SLU up early.

Rhode Island (9-9-2), which less than 24 hours earlier played in a double-overtime draw with Charlotte, knotted the score 1-1 on a goal by Dominic Petrarca in the 32nd minute. Andres Ruiz and Erkko Puranen earned assists on the play.

Several minutes later, Roach gave the Billikens a 2-1 lead, one they would take into halftime. He buried a straight-on shot past URI goalkeeper Chris Pennock for his team-leading ninth goal of the season.

In the second half, a resilient Rhody squad tied the score 2-2 on a Puranen goal. The two squads would exchange chances down the stretch before Ream’s late heroics gave SLU the victory and a spot in Sunday’s A-10 title match.
 
The Billikens out-shot the Rams 14-10. SLU keeper Ross Kaufman made six saves.

SLU will be looking for its first A-10 Tournament title since joining the league in 2005. The Billikens have reached the final on two other occasions. In 2005, the Billikens played Rhode Island to a 2-2 draw, but Rhody prevailed in the PK shootout to claim the title. In 2006, Rhode Island again prevented the Billikens from claiming the championship after posting a 2-0 victory.

Dayton earned its spot in the A-10 title match by topping St. Bonaventure 3-1 in Friday’s first semifinal matchup. The Billikens and Flyers met earlier this season with Dayton claiming a 1-0 victory at home thanks to a penalty-kick goal.