CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Freshman Lexi Grote netted an overtime golden goal in the 93^rd minute of Friday's Ohio Valley Conference opener against Tennessee Tech to win 1-0.
 
The goal was Grote's second of the season and her first game-winner of her career. She finished as SEMO's shots co-leader with two.
 
In the match, Southeast was outshot 17-9 but the combination of the Redhawk defense and goalkeeping held the Golden Eagles scoreless. While they had 17 shots, TTU put only eight on goal.
 
Kindra Lierz started the game in goal but left in the 42^nd minute after going down with an ankle injury. Maddie Gleeson stepped in and played the final 51 minutes. The two combined for the shutout and Gleeson improved to 2-0 in net this season.
 
Lierz made six stops, moving ever closer to the all-time saves record. She is five shy of tying the record. Gleeson made two saves during her time in goal.
 
Kari Naerdemann (3-4) suffered the loss in goal for TTU. She made four saves and gave up Grote's game-winner.
 
Shay Darga joined Grote in leading SEMO in shots with two, both from long range for the senior defender.
 
Dani Shartouny and Tina Marolt led TTU with four shots apiece while Karigan Owens had three of her own.
 
Defenders Maddi Karstens, Lauren Kaempfe, and Bri Caccavale played the full 92 minutes in the field.
 
Southeast was outshot in the first half. The Redhawks erased a 3-0 shot deficit to pull within one, 4-3, with 15 minutes to play. The Golden Eagles then got off seven-straight shots to lead at half, 11-3.
 
Paige Blankenheim put the Redhawks' lone shot on goal in the opening stanza.

The shot differential was a slim 6-5 in TTU's favor in the second half.
 
Just three minutes into the overtime period, Esmie Gonzales took possession of the ball and ran down the center of the field. Close to the edge of the box, Gonzales passed right to Grote who settled and fired into the back of the net to secure the victory for the Redhawks. The assist was Gonzales' third this season to move her into the lead on the team with five points (1 goal, 3 assists). 
 
Southeast will begin a five-game road stretch starting Sunday at UT Martin. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. in Martin, Tennessee.