Quick Kicks
Southeast Missouri (1-0-0) opened its 21st season after a 3-2 win over Southern Mississippi on Aug. 25. Senior Esmie Gonzales was named to the inaugural Ohio Valley Conference Player Watch List. 
 
The Redhawks hit the road to face Southeastern Conference foes Ole Miss (Aug. 20) and Arkansas (Sept. 1) in the Rebel Classic this weekend. The Ole Miss game will air live on the SECN+. Game day stats will be available at GoSoutheast.com. 
 
Follow the Redhawks
• @SEMOsoccer, the official Twitter page of the Redhawks, will feature live in-game updates.
• Watch SEMO soccer live on ESPN+ for all home games. 
• Live stats for every game are available on gosoutheast.com
 
Series History
SEMO vs Ole Miss
The Redhawks and Rebels meet for just the second time in 2019. In 2003, SEMO fell 5-0 to Ole Miss in Oxford, Mississippi. 
 
SEMO vs Arkansas 
SEMO and Arkansas are tied at 1-1 in their all-time series. This year's matchup is the first in 15 years. The Redhawks beat the Razorbacks, 3-2, in Cape Girardeau the last time these teams squared off in 2004. The other meeting was in 2002, where SEMO dropped a 2-1 decision in Fayetteville.

Scouting Ole Miss
Ole Miss is 1-1 going into the Rebel Classic following a 3-1 loss to Memphis. The Rebels defeated North Alabama, 2-0, to start the season. Ole Miss averages 16.5 shots per game and has a shots on goal percentage of .455. Junior Channing Foster has taken 11 shots in two contests. Foster, along with Grace Johnson and Haleigh Stackpole, were named to the SEC Preseason Watch List. 
 
Scouting Arkansas
Arkansas is 1-1-0 after beating UNC-Greensboro (3-0) and falling to Oklahoma (1-0, 2OT). In the last three matches (including exhibition against Nebraska), the Razorback defense allowed just five shots on goal. Arkansas has outshot its opponents by a 47-22 margin. TCU transfer Katie Lund has played all 114 minutes in goal for Arkansas, allowing only one goal and making four saves in her first two matches.
 
Heisserer Hot Start
Megan Heisserer is off to a hot start in her first season at Southeast Missouri. In exhibition play, the Scott City, Missouri native had a goal and an assist. In the season-opener against Southern Mississippi, Heisserer had a goal and one assist on four shots. She was one of two true freshmen that started for the Redhawks last week.
 
2018 Recap
The Redhawks finished their 2018 campaign with a 5-8-5 record. Southeast Missouri made the O Tournament for the 17th time and lost in the quarterfinals to Eastern Illinois on penalty kicks. The trio of Esmie Gonzales, Morgan McCourt and Bailey Redden earned All-OVC honors at the conclusion of the season. Gonzales was named First-Team All-OVC for the second-straight year, while Redden and McCourt both made the All-Newcomer Team.
 
Exhibition Success
Southeast Missouri went 3-0 in exhibition play with wins over Memphis, Southern Illinois and Missouri State. SEMO beat Memphis at home, 1-0, on Aug. 10. The Redhawks then beat  Missouri State, 3-0, on Aug. 14 and Southern Illinois, 2-1, on Aug. 17. (Aug. 14). Both of those games were on the road.

Record Year
Esmie Gonzales is expected to reprise her role as attacking center-mid this season as she did in years past. During her rookie campaign, Gonzales earned Second-Team All-OVC and All-Newcomer honors. She has since been named to the All-OVC First-Team in back-to-back years. In her career at SEMO, Gonzales has already broken into SEMO's top five career leaders in goals (4th, 24), game-winning goals (t2nd, 10), shots (2nd, 186) and shots on goal (t3rd, 88). The Fort Worth, Texas native is nearly in the top five in points (56). She is a senior this season.
 
OVC Preseason Poll
SEMO was picked to finish tied for seventh in the 2019 OVC Predicted Order of Finish. Murray State was voted to win the league with 18 first-place votes. Two other teams also garnered first-place nods, including UT Martin and Eastern Kentucky. 
 
Roster Breakdown
The 2019 roster consists of 24 student-athletes including 16 returners, nine of which were regular starters a year ago. Notable players back this season are both 2018 OVC All-Newcomer Team sophomores midfielder Morgan McCourt and goalkeeper Bailey Redden. Senior Esmie Gonzales also returns after being named All-OVC Team at the conclusion of the 2018 season. There are eight freshmen on this year's roster, including SEMO native Megan Heisserer. 

OVC Tournament
The OVC Tournament is a two-weekend event with the first being the First Round and Quarterfinals (Nov. 1 & 3) and the latter featuring the Semifinals and Championship. The top-seeded teams will receive byes to the Semifinals that will be held in at the site of the regular season champions. The Redhawks have made the OVC Tournament 17 times in the 20 seasons.