Match #3
Southeast Missouri State (0-2-0) at Southern Illinois (1-0-0)
 
Match Information: 
Date: Thursday, August 21
Time: 6:00 P.M. 
Location: Carbondale, Illinois
Venue: Lew Hartzog Track and Field Complex
Series: Tied at 2-2-0
 
Head Coaches: 
SEMO: John Klein (First Season, 0-2-0)
SIU: Graeme Orr (Third Season, 8-19-10)
 
Follow the Redhawks: 
X: @SEMOSoccer
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Watch: ESPN+
Media Guide
 
Redhawks Battle Southern Illinois Thursday Evening in Carbondale
Southeast Missouri Soccer (0-2-0) will return to the road on Thursday, August 21, when they take on rival Southern Illinois (1-0-0) from the Lew Hartzog Track & Field Complex in Carbondale, Illinois. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m., CT. 
 
Last Week
The Redhawks opened the 2025 campaign last Thursday night in Cape Girardeau against Evansville. The match resulted in a 4-3 defeat but featured a pair of goals from junior midfielder Justi Nelson and a goal from freshman Amelia Lawrence. Nelson's second goal of the night came in the 77^th minute to make it 3-3, but the Purple Aces found the go-ahead goal in the 84^th minute to seal the victory.
 
Sunday's match featured a road trip to Nashville, Tenn. to take on former OVC rival, Belmont. The Bruins won the match by a final score of 1-0. The Redhawks were outshot by an 18-4 mark, but goalkeeper Madison Geisler had her best night of the season so far with seven saves. 
 
Debutants
The first week of the regular season featured several new Redhawks on the pitch. Nine Redhawks made their first appearance in a SEMO uniform over the two matches a week ago including Rachel Kretzer, Amelia Lawrence, Zerina Markovic, Hayley Hogenmiller, Maya Domian, Alyssa Schulte, Emma Cloud, Riley Henderson, and Laia Amat. 
 
Midfielder
Junior Justi Nelson wasted no time getting going in 2025 beginning with the first match of the season. Nelson scored a pair of goals against Evansville, doubling her total goals from a season ago. Through two games, Nelson has four shots including three on-target for a 75-percent shot-on-goal mark. She has played the full 180 minutes through two matches. 
 
Freshman Impact
Midfielder Rachel Kretzer is in her first season in Cape Girardeau after graduating from Father McGivney Catholic High School in Glen Carbon, Illinois. Through the first two matches, the freshman has found herself in the starting lineup in the center of the park and has played the full 180-minutes so far. 
 
Senior Leader
Cayla Koerner has been thrust into a new role for the Redhawks through the season's first two matches. The senior from Mahomet, Illinois has featured on the Redhawks' backline in a center back position. Koerner played 70-minutes against Evansville in the season-opener before playing the full 90 on Sunday evening at Belmont. Against the Bruins, she registered her first shot-on-goal of the season. 
 
The Keeper
Junior goalkeeper Madison Geisler has stood strong in net for the Redhawks in the first week of the regular season. Through two games, Geisler has faced 35 shots and has made 13 saves. She recorded a season-high seven saves against Belmont and allowed just one goal. She has played the full 180-minutes in net so far in 2025. 
 
Team Offense
The Redhawks have done a good job so far of working the offensive end of the pitch having registered nine shots-on-target over 14 attempts. As a team, SEMO sits at 64.3-percent shots-on-target led by midfielder Justi Nelson. Freshman Zerina Markovic follows close behind with a pair of shots-on-target, while four other Redhawks are tied with a SOG apiece.