Game #15
Southern Indiana (4-6-4, 0-4-2 OVC)
vs. Southeast Missouri (6-6-2, 2-2-2 OVC)
Match Information
Date: Thursday, Oct. 20, 2022 
Location: Cape Girardeau, Mo.   
Venue: Houck Field
First Kick: 6 p.m., CT
All-Time Series: First All-Time Meeting 
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Tickets
 
Game #16
Southeast Missouri (6-6-2, 2-2-2 OVC)
at UT Martin (3-7-4, 1-3-2 OVC)
Match Information
Date: Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022 
Location: Martin, Tenn.  
Venue: Skyhawk Soccer Field
First Kick: 1 p.m., CT
All-Time Series: SEMO leads the All-Time Series with UT Martin, 11-10-6
Last Meeting: 4-1 UTM Win | Cape Girardeau, Mo. | Oct. 3, 2021  
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Live Video: ESPN+
 
Game Notes: Southeast Missouri (PDF) | Southern Indiana (PDF)
2022 SEMO Statistics | 2022 SEMO OVC Statistics
 
Redhawks Host Southern Indiana Thursday Before Heading to UT Martin Sunday to Conclude Regular Season
Southeast Missouri women's soccer (6-6-2, 2-2-2 OVC) will wrap up its regular season this week before next week's First Round of the 2022 OVC Tournament Championship. The Redhawks host Southern Indiana (4-6-4, 0-4-2 OVC) on Thursday at Houck Field in SEMO's final regular-season home match of the season. First kick is 6 p.m., CT. The Redhawks will then head out on the road Sunday to take on UT Martin (3-7-4, 1-3-2 OVC) to conclude the 2022 regular season. Initial kick Sunday is 1 p.m., CT at the Skyhawk Soccer Field in Martin, Tennessee. 
 
SEMO is currently tied for fifth in the 2022 Ohio Valley Conference standings with Little Rock at eight points and will find out their seeding for the 2022 OVC Tournament Championship at the conclusion of Sunday's game. The No. 3 and No. 4 seeds will host the First Round of the 2022 OVC Tournament Championship on Friday, Oct. 28. 
 
Follow the Redhawks
• Stats will be available for Thursday's and Sunday's games on SEMORedhawks.com
• Sunday's road match at UT Martin will be broadcasted on ESPN+ 
• Due to the ongoing construction at Houck Field and for the health and safety of our players, the rest of the 2022 home schedule including Thursday will not be broadcasted on ESPN+ 
• @SEMOSoccer, the official Twitter page of Redhawks soccer, will feature live in-game updates all season long.
 
Promotions
• Fans will receive a SEMO sticker sheet Thursday courtesy of Legends Cape Girardeau while supplies last
 
Series History
Southern Indiana
The 2022 season marks the first time that the Redhawks and the Screaming Eagles will meet on the pitch in each school's history. 
 
The 2022-23 season is the inaugural season for USI in the Ohio Valley Conference, having been a NCAA Division II member in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) prior to making the jump to Division I. 
 
UT Martin
The Skyhawks and SEMO are familiar opponents having squared off 27 times over each program's history. 
 
SEMO leads the all-time series by a narrow 11-10-6 margin, having lost the matchup in the 2021 season, 4-1, at Houck Field in Cape Girardeau (Oct. 3, 2021). Natalie Jackson registered her first career goal as a Redhawk in the 23rd minute to knot the game at 1-1 before three unanswered Skyhawk goals. 
 
Scouting the Opponent
Screaming Eagles
Southern Indiana comes into Thursday's match, having most recently lost to UT Martin by a final score of 1-0 on Oct. 16.
 
One of three, first-year members in the OVC, USI has yet to earn their first conference win, having only drawn two matches (SIUE 0-0, Lindenwood 1-1) earlier in the month of October.  
 
USI's match against UTM (Oct. 16) started with the Skyhawks taking a quick lead in the fifth minute (1-0) and the Screaming Eagles could never regain the lead as the game would end with that score. UT Martin outshot USI 8-6 (6-2 SOG) en route to the victory. 
 
USI Defender Elizabeth Lippert led the team in shots with two. She competed in the full 90 minutes on Oct. 16. 
 
Maya Etienne started and finished in net for USI, making four saves and allowing just the one goal on eight shots. 
 
Etienne has played and started in all 14 games this season for the Screaming Eagles allowing just 10 goals on the season with 55 saves. She has an overall save percentage of .846 and is currently 4-6-4 on the season. Etienne has a 0.72 goals against average with six shutouts in 2022. Entering Thursday, the senior is two saves shy of tying for third all-time in USI history for career saves.
 
Entering the last week of the 2022 regular season and the final two matches on the schedule, USI (4-6-4, 0-4-2 OVC) has two points in OVC play.
 
Close matches have been a common theme for the Screaming Eagles throughout the 2022 season. Out of 14 matches for USI, one goal or less has been scored in nine matches between USI and their opponent. On the attacking end, the Screaming Eagles are averaging 0.71 goals per game. On the flip side defensively, USI possesses a 0.79 goals against average. Additionally, four of the five 1-0 losses for USI saw the game's single goal scored within the first 30 minutes of each match. The other defeat had the lone goal scored in the last 2:30 of the match.
 
On the season, Murphy leads USI with five goals, all of which came in the non-conference season. Her 12 points, 25 shots, and 16 shots on goal also lead the squad. In conference play, freshman midfielder Charli Grafton has recorded the team's single goal against OVC competition. Senior midfielder Jill DiTusa is the team's assist leader with three.
 
Skyhawks
Before hosting the Redhawks on Sunday, UTM will head to Edwardsville, Illinois, on Thursday, to take on SIUE at 7 p.m., CT. 
 
UTM is coming off a 1-0 victory over the USI Screaming Eagles on Oct. 16, its first win in league play in 2022. Sophomore Izzy Patterson scored in her second straight game, this time in the 5th minute of the contest for the game winner. 
 
The Skyhawks have registered 14 goals on the season (1 goal per game average) on 156 shots. Of the 156 shots, 79 have found their way on target for UTM thus far. 
 
Senior forward Megan Drake leads the team in goals with four in 13 games played. She has registered nine points for the Skyhawks.
 
UTM's defense is controlled by goalkeeper Poppy Bastock. The 5-11 freshman from Leicester, England, has played and started in all 14 games this season for the Skyhawks. She has allowed 21 goals, while registering 59 saves, and has faced 181 shots for an overall save percentage of .738. Bastock holds a 2-7-4 record overall in 2022. 
 
Last Time Out
SEMO's last match on Oct. 16 resulted in a 3-0 loss to Tennessee Tech in Cookeville, Tennessee.  
 
The Golden Eagles outshot the Redhawks, 24-7 (9-3 SOG), to stay atop the OVC standings with Morehead State at 14 points. 
 
Goalkeeper Sophia Elfrink made five saves in the opening 45 minutes and finished with six. Elfrink made a diving save off a free kick in the 17th minute before a left-footed stop in the 25th minute.
 
A tremendous offensive output from TTU kept the Redhawks under pressure all afternoon and SEMO did not register a shot on goal until Emma Brune found an attempt in the 58th minute. 
 
Megan Heisserer (1 SOG) and Zoe Houston led the Redhawks in shots with two apiece. 
 
With the loss, SEMO's unbeaten streak (2-0-2) was snapped at four games. 
 
Nelson One Win Away from 250 in Her Career
With one win this week, SEMO Head Coach Heather Nelson will reach 250 wins in her coaching career. Nelson who is in her 24th season at the helm of SEMO, has a 249-198-64 mark over 28 career seasons including four at Florida State from 1995-98 (31-44-5). At Southeast Missouri, Nelson has led the program to a record of 218-154-59. 

Where We Rank
SEMO ranks first in the OVC as a team with 5.57 saves per game and a 0.510 shot accuracy. The Redhawks are also second with 1.071 goals against average and a 0.839 save percentage. 
 
SEMO is averaging 5.43 shots on goal per game which is third in the OVC.

Freshman goalie Sophia Elfrink paces the league in net thus far in 2022. She is first in the OVC with a save percentage of 0.839, a 5.57 saves per game average and 78 total saves. Elfrink, a Columbia, Missouri, native, also ranks first for goalie minutes played (1260:00) and third for goals against average (1.071), and fourth for shutouts (4).

Megan Heisserer and Alayna Jakul lead the OVC with two game winners each. 
 
Total 90 Tracker
Through the first 14 games, defender Natalie Jackson, along with goalkeeper Sophia Elfrink have played in all 1260 minutes of regulation.
 
Emma Brune has played in the full 90 in each of the last 12 games (13 in 2022). Maddie Paulson has played in the total 90 in six of the last eight games. 
 
Mariah Mannino played in the full regulation five times in 2022 including each of the first four contests and most recently at Eastern Illinois (Sept. 22).
  
Full Regulation Games
Natalie Jackson (Missouri, UIS, Missouri State, Columbia College, Colorado College, Colorado State, Evansville, Southern Illinois, SIUE, Eastern Illinois, Lindenwood, Little Rock, Morehead State, Tennessee Tech)

Sophia Elfrink (Missouri, UIS, Missouri State, Columbia College, Colorado College, Colorado State, Evansville, Southern Illinois, SIUE, Eastern Illinois, Lindenwood, Little Rock, Morehead State, Tennessee Tech)

Emma Brune (Missouri, Missouri State, Columbia College, Colorado College, Colorado State, Evansville, Southern Illinois, SIUE, Eastern Illinois, Lindenwood, Little Rock, Morehead State, Tennessee Tech)
 
Maddie Paulson (Evansville, Southern Illinois, SIUE, Lindenwood, Little Rock, Morehead State)

Mariah Mannino (Missouri, UIS, Missouri State, Columbia College, Eastern Illinois)

Faith Liljegren (Missouri)

Alayna Jakul (Missouri)
 
Koerner and Brune Continue Southeast Missouri Family Legacy on the Soccer Pitch 
The tandem of Greg Brune (quarterback) and Chuck Koerner (wide receiver) teamed up for touchdowns on the gridiron to lead the Southeast Missouri football team in the 1960s and now their granddaughters, Emma Brune and Cayla Koerner, are currently adding their own chapters to their family legacies as members of the Redhawks women's soccer team. 
 
The family connection came full circle in SEMO's most recent game at Eastern Illinois on Sept. 22 with Emma Brune hooking up with Cayla Koerner for a goal in the 15th minute.
 
Non-Conference Recap
SEMO fashioned a 4-4-0 non-conference mark with wins over Illinois-Springfield (2-0, Aug. 21), Columbia College (1-0, Aug. 28), Colorado College (2-1, Sept. 1) and Evansville (1-0, Sept. 8).
 
The Redhawks opened the 2022 campaign with a loss at Missouri (0-1, Aug. 18) and also fell at Missouri State (0-2, Aug. 25), at Colorado State (0-2, Sept. 4) and against Southern Illinois (0-1, Sept. 11).
 
Megan Heisserer led the SEMO offense with two goals (both game winners) and an assist (five points, 10 shots, 4 SOG) in her return from a season-ending injury suffered in the 2020-21 season opener (March 5, 2021).
 
Faith Liljegren (1g-1a-3pts), Alayna Jakul (1g-1a-3pts), Cayla Koerner, and Zoey Memmel all notched a goal in non-conference play. Koerner registered a team-high 12 shots (6 SOG). Liljegren posted 10 shots (4 SOG) while Memmel had nine shots (6 SOG).
 
Freshman goalkeeper Sophia Elfrink started and competed in all eight games (720 minutes), tallying 50 saves (.877 save percentage) for a 4-4-0 mark (7 goals allowed, 0.88 GAA) including a trio of shutouts. 
 
Defender Natalie Jackson is the only Redhawks field player that competed in the full 720 minutes of regulation during non-conference play. 
 
Redhawks Debuts
Five freshmen made their SEMO debuts Aug. 18 against Missouri in Cayla Koerner, Sophia Elfrink, Alayna Jakul, Zoe Houston, and Ella Baldwin. Koerner, Elfrink, Jakul, and Houston were all featured in the Redhawks starting XI.
 
Navi Washington and Macie Hockett both made their Redhawk debuts Aug. 21 against Illinois Springfield. Baldwin made her first career start on defense, tallying a shot in 63 minutes against UIS.
  
2022 OVC Preseason Poll
Southeast Missouri women's soccer was selected to finish the 2022 season fifth in the Ohio Valley Conference, the league announced Aug. 11. Sophomore midfielder Elizabeth Rater was tabbed to the 2022 OVC Soccer Preseason Players to Watch List.
 
SIUE, the 2021 OVC Regular-Season and Tournament Champions, was picked first with 11 first-place votes and 123 points. UT Martin, the 2021 OVC Regular Season Champions, was pegged second with seven first-place votes and 119 points.
 
Rater, a Mequon, Wisconsin, native, was named to her first career OVC preseason team Thursday. She led SEMO offensively in 2021 with three goals and was second on the team with six points (3g). In conference play, Rater paced the Redhawks with two goals and four points in eight games and was selected to the 2021 OVC Second-Team and All-Newcomer Team. She appeared in all 19 games, making nine starts during her freshman campaign in 2021. 
 
SEMO Schedule
The Redhawks will play 16 regular-season games during the 2022 campaign. The slate features eight non-conference contests and eight home games at Houck Field.
 
The 2022 schedule also includes eight Ohio Valley Conference games which began with SIUE, the 2021 OVC Tournament Champions and Regular-Season Champions, on Sept. 18 at Houck Field.
 
The 2022 OVC Tournament Championship will be contested Oct. 28 through Nov. 6. The first two rounds will be hosted on campus sites (with the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds hosting) while the semifinals and championship will be played on campus at the No. 1 seed and regular-season champion. 
  
Roster Breakdown
The Redhawks return five All-OVC players this season in midfielders Kiana Khedoo (2021 Second-Team) and Elizabeth Rater (2021 Second-Team and All-Newcomer Team), redshirt senior forward Morgan McCourt (2020-21 Tournament, 2018 All-Newcomer), senior defender Natalie Jackson (2019 All-Tournament) and Cape Girardeau midfielder/defender Emma Brune (2020-21 Second Team, All-Newcomer and Tournament).
 
The 2022 team features 25 student-athletes including 16 returners and nine newcomers. 
 
Head coach Heather Nelson will lead the Redhawks in her 24th season at SEMO in 2022. 
 
Newcomers
The 2022 squad also features nine freshmen in goalkeepers Sophia Elfrink and Sarah Pattillo, defenders Ella Baldwin, Macie Hockett and Alayna Jakul, midfielders Josetiarainnah Olaco and Zoe Houston, and forwards Cayla Koerner and Navi Washington.

The Jackson 4 
SEMO has four players from Jackson, Missouri, on their 2022 roster with sophomores Grace Crowden and Katelyn Miller, along with seniors Natalie Miller and Taylor Nelson.
 
Home Grown from the Southeast Region of Missouri 
The 2022 Redhawks roster features six players from the Southeast region of Missouri. In addition to the four Jackson student-athletes in Grace Crowden, Katelyn Miller, Natalie Miller, and Taylor Nelson, the group of locals also includes Emma Brune (Cape Girardeau, Saxony Lutheran HS) and Megan Heisserer (Scott City, Notre Dame HS).

Academic Excellence
Redhawks Soccer led the Southeast Missouri Athletics Department with eight Ohio Valley Conference Academic Medals of Honor for the 2021-22 academic year. Emma Brune, Kate Daus, Lexi Grote, Katelyn Miller, Taylor Nelson, Maddie Paulson, Elizabeth Rater, and Bailey Redden all carried a perfect 4.0 grade point average.
 
SEMO also had 21 student-athletes named to the OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll for the 2021-22 academic year. Emma Brune, Anne-Clara Couturier, Grace Crowden, Kate Daus, Lexi Grote, Gabby Gscheidmeier, Megan Heisserer, Natalie Jackson, Kiana Khedoo, Faith Liljegren, Mariah Mannino, Zoey Memmel, Katelyn Miller, Natalie Miller, Taylor Nelson, Maddie Paulson, Elizabeth Rater, Bailey Redden, Abby Rollet, Emma Tucker, and Lauren Welker achieved a 3.25 GPA or higher for the honor. 

SEMO earned the United Soccer Coaches College Team Academic Award as recognition for their exemplary performance in the classroom during the 2021-22 academic year. The Redhawks posted a 3.76 GPA for their third-straight distinction from United Soccer Coaches and 11th overall in program history. 
 
2021 Season Recap
SEMO finished 2021 as an OVC Tournament Semifinalist, going on a Cinderella run as the #7-seed. The Redhawks edged #6 Morehead State, 1-0, in the First Round before eliminating Quarterfinals host, #3 Belmont, 2-1, in overtime. The Redhawks then fell to #2 SIUE, the 2021 OVC Tournament Champions, in the Semifinals. 
 
SEMO finished the 2021 campaign with a 7-10-2 overall record (2-4-2 in the OVC). 
 
Kiana Khedoo and Elizabeth Rater earned 2021 Second-Team All-OVC honors. Rater was also named to the OVC All-Newcomer Team. Seniors Lauren Welker and Bailey Redden were also both named to the 2021 All-OVC Championship Tournament team.
 
Next Time Out
Following this week's games, the Redhawks will wait and see if they will host or travel for the First Round of the 2022 Ohio Valley Conference Championship Tournament. The First Round is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 28 at the sites of the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds.