CARBONDALE, Ill. – Southeast Missouri women's soccer played regional rival Southern Illinois to a 1-1 exhibition draw Wednesday evening at the Lew Hartzog Track & Field Complex.
 
Trailing 1-0 at the half, SEMO evened the game early in the second frame on a tally from Lauren Welker.
 
Welker, who was named to the 2021 Ohio Valley Conference Players to Watch List Tuesday, found the back of the net at 47:02.
 
The 2020-21 All-OVC performer was logged at 84 minutes in the Redhawks second friendly of the 2021 season.
 
The Salukis took an early advantage in the contest on a goal in the fifth minute from Ashlyn Henrie.
 
SEMO responded with consecutive opportunities by Lexi Grote and Zoey Memmel in the 11th and 12th minutes but both shots went off the top woodwork.
 
Grote, a fifth-year senior from Granite City, Illinois, competed in all 90 minutes to pace SEMO's field players.
 
Memmel, a sophomore transfer from Milwaukee, made her second-straight exhibition start in a Redhawks kit and led the team with four shots in 65 minutes on the pitch.
 
SEMO went to the locker room at half with a 6-4 advantage in shots and outshot the Salukis 11-7 in the exhibition. SIU had four shots on target compared to one for the Redhawks.
 
Abby Tremain posted a pair of shots in 72 minutes of action. Kate Daus, Welker, Grote and Anne-Clara Couturier each had one.
 
Kaitlin DuCharme paced Southern Illinois with two shots on goal while Henrie and McKensey Bunch each compiled two shots.
 
SIU earned three corners while SEMO had one corner kick.
 
Goalkeeper Bailey Redden earned the tie with three saves, appearing in all 90 minutes in net. The Salukis utilized a pair of netminders in Maddy Alaluf and Ary Lougher with an even distribution on the pitch.
 
Redden, Welker, Hannah Compernolle, Tremain, Faith Liljegren, Memmel, Morgan McCourt, Daus, and Grote each made their second-straight exhibition start for the Redhawks.
 
Nadiia Ivanchenko and Mariah Johnson were inserted into the Redhawks starting 11 after entering as subs in the exhibition opener against Western Illinois on Aug. 8.
 
Gabby Gscheidmeier, Natalie Miller, and Kennedy Jones each made their 2021 exhibition debuts as substitutions.
 
For Natalie Miller, a junior from Jackson, Missouri, it was her Redhawks exhibition debut. Natalie Miller entered as a replacement with her sister, Katelyn Miller, in the 22nd minute.
 
Katelyn Miller, a freshman forward, led all SEMO subs with 61 minutes of action.
 
Prior to Wednesday's exhibition, Jones had last played for the Redhawks on Nov. 8, 2019 against SIUE after missing the entire 2020-21 season with injury. She finished with 12 minutes Wednesday.
 
The Redhawks will compete in their third and final exhibition tune-up at Central Arkansas on Sunday in Conway, Arkansas. Initial kick is set for 3 p.m.
 
SEMO opens its regular-season slate at Memphis of the American Athletic Conference on Thursday, Aug. 19.