MURRAY, Ky. – No. 4-seed Southeast Missouri women's soccer (7-4-1) fell to #2 SIUE (8-2-2), 2-1, in overtime of the 2020-21 Ohio Valley Conference Championship Final Saturday afternoon at the Cutchin Field.
SIUE knotted the contest at 1-1 in the 69th minute of regulation to force the decisive overtime period.
In extra time, SEMO's
Natalie Jackson was assessed a yellow card in the box on a controversial call which provided the Cougars a penalty kick.
Kayla Klipsch converted the penalty kick in the 94th minute to secure the 2020-21 OVC Championship Tournament title for SIUE.
Klipsch entered as a Cougars substitution and finished with four shots including three on net in 37 minutes of action.
SEMO grabbed an initial 1-0 lead in the 52nd minute of play.
Lauren Welker, the Redhawks leading scorer this season and 2020-21 All-OVC First Team player, found the back of the net off a feed from
Morgan McCourt.
For Welker, a Jackson, Missouri, native, the tally was her career-best sixth of the campaign. She finished the season with a team-high 16 points.
McCourt compiled her second-straight assist of the Championships to finish 2020-21 with four points (1g, 2a).
Welker, McCourt and
Emma Brune, a 2020-21 All-OVC Second Team and All-Newcomer honoree, were all selected to the 2020-21 All-OVC Tournament team at the conclusion of the game.
Brune was one of four Redhawks who played in the full 93 minutes of regulation Saturday. The Saxony Luthern alum from Cape Girardeau, Missouri, tallied a shot while never leaving the pitch in the Championship Final.
Brune along with
Lexie Hacker and Jackson didn't miss a minute in 2020-21, finishing with 1,103 minutes.
The Cougars evened the game at 1-1 with a strike from Maria Haro in the 69th minute.
SEMO and SIUE went to its respective locker rooms at the break scoreless. The Cougars led the Redhawks in shots 12-5 after 45 minutes and won the shot differential 25-11.
Kiana Khedoo paced SEMO with three shots, making her second-straight start (fifth in 2020-21). Welker and
Hannah Compernolle finished with two shots each and combined with McCourt to register the three SEMO shots on goal.
Emily Holten, Brune,
Abby Tremain and McCourt all had a shot in the contest Saturday.
SIUE had 12 shots on net including three shots in the overtime frame. SEMO finished with three shots on target.
Haro and Mackenzie Litzinger each had six shots. Haro had four shots on target. Andrea Frerker added four shots including two on net.
Lily Schnieders and Lydia Harris chipped in two shots each.
Bailey Redden made nine saves for SEMO.
Taylor Spiller compiled a save in the victory for SIUE.
SEMO held a slight edge in corners, 6-5.
With the victory, SIUE earned the league's automatic berth into the 2020-21 NCAA Tournament.
SEMO concluded the 2020-21 season with a mark of 7-4-1.
