Game 3
Southeast Missouri State (0-1-0)
vs Southern Illinois University (0-0-2)
 
Match Information
Date: Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024
Location: Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Venue: Houck Stadium
First Kick: 6:00 p.m., CT 
All-Time Series: SEMO Leads SIU 2-1-0 
Last Meeting: SEMO - 2-0 Win | Carbondale, Ill. | Aug. 27, 2023
 
 
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Redhawks Home Thursday to Host Southern Illinois 
Southeast Missouri women's soccer (0-1-0) will continue its four-game home stretch this Thursday, August 22, as they welcome in local rival Southern Illinois (0-0-2) to Houck Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m., CT. 
 
Last Time Out
SEMO fell to Murray State 2-1 on Sunday evening in Cape Girardeau despite the first SEMO goal of the season.  
 
The Racers jumped out to a one-goal advantage within the game's first 10-minutes. MSU's Breece Bass dribbled into the SEMO box and scored the first goal of the match at the five-minute mark.
 
Still trailing in the 84^th minute, senior midfielder Elizabeth Rater fired a shot outside of the Murray State box with her left foot to score the equalizer. The goal was the first of the season for the Redhawks, and the first for Rater in 2024. 
 
11 seconds of game time later, Bass found the back of SEMO's net to regain the goal advantage for the Racers. Bass' goal proved to be the decider as the Redhawks fell 2-1. 
 
Goalkeeper Sophia Elfrink made her first last Sunday of the 2024 season and played all 90-minutes of the match. She made two saves on nine MSU shots, allowing the two goals. 
 
The Redhawks totaled six shots during the contest on Sunday, led by forward Cayla Koerner who registered two shots, none on target. Rater, Tucker, and junior forward Navi Washington registered the other four shots combined on the night. 
 
Series History
This will be just the fourth time in history the Redhawks will face the Salukis on the soccer pitch. SEMO holds the upper hand with a 2-1 series advantage over SIU. 
 
Southeast Missouri defeated SIU last year in Carbondale, Illinois, 2-0, on Aug. 27. Forwards Cayla Koerner and Emily Baker were the two Redhawks to score during last year's contest.
 
In 2022 Southeast Missouri fell to Southern Illinois at home 1-0. During their very first meeting in 2019 the Redhawks beat SIU 2-0 at home in Houck Stadium. 
 
Preseason Poll and Player's to Watch
The Ohio Valley Conference released its predicted order of finish for the 2024 women's soccer season. The Redhawks were picked to finish seventh overall, the league announced on August 8. 
 
Tennessee Tech was picked to finish first with 12 first place votes with 153 points. SIUE picked up six first place votes (141 points) to finish in second, followed by Morehead State (Two first place votes) with 122 points for third.
 
Rounding out the next seven, Little Rock (96), Southern Indiana (91), UT Martin (90), Southeast Missouri (86), Eastern Illinois (61), Lindenwood (38), and Western Illinois (22).
 
Junior goalkeeper Sophia Elfrink was selected to the 2024 OVC 'Players to Watch' List announced last Thursday morning. 
 
She played in all 19 games a season ago, making 18 starts in the net for SEMO. Allowed a career-low 15 goals last season and secured Ohio Valley Conference Goalkeeper of the Week three times in 2023. 
 
She was named to the All-OVC Second Team in 2023 after making 76 saves and finishing with a .835 save-percentage. She finished the year with nine shutouts on the scoresheet.
 
This Year's Squad
The 2024 squad will feature 19 returnees from their magical semifinal run to the OVC semifinal last year. The returners include one graduate student, four seniors, nine juniors, and five sophomores.
 
The team will feature just three newcomers: Forwards Alli Saviano and Kylar Serio, and Midfielder, Carson Bohnenstiehl. 
 
In total the team consists of two goalkeepers, seven forwards, six midfielders, and seven defenders. 
 
Head coachHeather Nelson returns for her 26th season. In 25 years under her guidance, the Redhawks have posted 19 winning seasons and compiled a 227-160-66 record.
 
Assistant Coaches Esmie Gonzales and Alex Theobald will assist with coaching duties as well.
 
Scouting Southern Illinois
The Salukis come to town coming off back-to-back ties to open their season. SIU began the 2024 campaign in Jackson, Miss. with a 2-2 tie versus Jackson State. They then hit the road again to face fellow OVC member, UT Martin this past Sunday where they tied 0-0 against the Skyhawks.
 
Against Jackson State, fifth year senior McKensey Bunch scored both goals for SIU. She finished with three shots. All three of her shots have been on goal through two matches. 
 
Ashlyn Henrie leads the team in shots and shots on goal so far this season. In two games, the graduate has eight shots, four sogs, and one assist. Quinn Sowders has the other assist for the Salukis this year. 
 
Fabiana Solano, SIU's goalie has nine saves on the season. Solano had three saves against Jackson State and nine saves against UT Martin. She has faced 28 shots already in this young season.
 
Offensively, the Salukis have 31 shots with 17 of them being on goal in the two games they have played.
 
Last season SIU had an overall record of 1-11-5 and a conference record of 0-8-2. They recorded ten goals, three assists, and 139 shots. Out of their 139 shots 51 of them were on goal (0.367 SOG percentage). 
 
Southern Illinois is coached by Graeme Orr who is entering his second season with the Salukis.