Aug. 19, 2009

By Brett Maikowski, Southeast Missouri State Sports Information

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - The Southeast Missouri State soccer team will open its regular season this weekend with a pair of Missouri Valley Conference contests. The first game will take place on Friday at 7 p.m. against the Indiana State Sycamores. Two days later, the Redhawks will face the Evansville Purple Aces at 6 p.m.

In exhibition play this season, the Redhawks finished 1-1. They started with a contest against Saint Louis University in which they lost 2-1. Stephanie Kulavic scored the lone goal for Southeast. In the second exhibition match, the Redhawks went up against the Missouri-St. Louis Tritons and were able to pick up the victory by a 1-0 margin. Ashley Runion scored the game-winner, while Hayley Abbott had the assist.

Season Outlook

In 2009, the Southeast Missouri State University Redhawks look to return to the form that led them to back-to-back Ohio Valley Conference Tournament championships and NCAA Tournament berths in 2006 and 2007. Three-time OVC Coach of the Year Heather Nelson will rely on a small, but strong group of veteran leaders to pave the way for 14 talented underclassmen, including nine newcomers. The veteran group is led by seniors Stephanie Kulavic (Springfield, Ill./Glenwood) and Lauren Lacopo (Troy, Ill./Triad), and features a trio of former All-OVC honorees.

Defenders

Known for stingy defense, the Redhawks have never surrendered 20 or more goals in a season during the 10-year history of the program. Last year was no exception. The Redhawks 16 goals against were the second fewest in the OVC, and the squad ranked third in the conference, allowing only 11.1 shots per game. Southeast returns four defenders from last year's backfield unit.

Kulavic, one of two seniors on this year's squad, is expected to lead the Redhawks defensively. She started 10 games in 2008 and played in 36 in her career.

Three sophomores also return to the defense, all of whom are technically and tactically sound. Nikki Edwards (Calgary, Alberta/Dr. E.P. Scarlett) and Shona Goodwin (Calgary, Alberta/Western Canada) both started all 14 games as freshmen, logging more minutes than any other returning defenders. Taylor Thomas (Fenton, Mo./Rockwood Summit) received limited playing time last fall, but she improved tremendously during the spring. Thomas will contribute to the defensive and midfield units. Meanwhile, Edwards may also see time in the forward position.

The Redhawks welcome a pair of freshmen to the unit, as well. Meg Herndon (Fenton, Mo./Rockwood Summit), who earned Second-Team All-State honors as a senior at Rockwood Summit High School, provides a strong, physical presence. Hayley Abbott (Narooma, Australia/Hills Sports) joins the team from Down Under as an experienced defender with refined technical and tactical abilities.

Goalkeepers

With Lindsay Pickering on the sidelines serving as an assistant coach last season, the Redhawks missed the presence of the OVC's all-time career shutouts leader in goal. For the first time in the program's history, the team recorded a save percentage below 80 percent. It was just the third season that the goalkeepers recorded a goals against average higher than 1.00.

Pickering, who returns for her second season on the sidelines, will mentor a pair of talented newcomers who will compete to start in goal.

Freshman Kaitlyn Smugala (Ballwin, Mo./Parkway South) is a good shot stopper who has great vision and distribution, and she is commanding in the air. As her high school's starting goalie, she recorded six shutouts and posted a .833 goals against average.

Freshman Kristen Starkey (St. Paul, Mo./St. Dominic) is another good shot stopper with quick reactions, and she does a good job of directing the defense. Starkey helped lead St. Dominic to the state championship in 2007 and a third-place finish in 2008. She also helped lead St. Louis Scott Gallagher, one of the premier soccer clubs in St. Louis, to back-to-back state titles.

Midfielders

Southeast will feature a pair of past All-OVC midfielders in 2009, along with a number of skilled underclassmen.

Junior Vanessa Hart (Dubbo, NSW Australia/Dubbo SC), who earned Second-Team All-OVC and OVC All-Newcomer honors as a freshman, missed the first part of last season due to injury, but contributed significantly in conference play. Hart is a very technical player who sets the pace of the game for the rest of the squad. The Redhawks offensive attack improved tremendously after she returned to the playing field last season. Southeast averaged five more shots per game with Hart in the lineup, and as a result, the team shot on goal percentage raised from 41 to 53 percent.

Junior Mabel Velarde (Quito, Ecuador/Lee University) earned OVC All-Newcomer honors last season. She led the squad in minutes played, and finished with one assist and 11 shots on goal. Velarde, a member of Ecuador's full national team, is a technically gifted player who provides speed on the outside. She will see time at both the midfield and forward positions in 2009.

Sophomore Katie Snelson (St. Louis, Mo./Oakville) will also be in the mix after her season was cut short by injury last year. Redshirt freshman Abbie Albietz (Wentzville, Mo./Timberland) will be another threat. Albietz, who may see time at the midfield and forward positions, has great speed is dangerous around the goal.

Two freshmen, Kelly Goehring (St. Louis, Mo./Rosati-Kain) and Brigette Schuppan (St. Louis, Mo./Nerinx Hall), will round out the midfield this season. Goehring, who earned First-Team All-State honors as a senior at Rosati-Kain High School, is a versatile player that can play as an outside midfielder and outside back. Schuppan provides speed on the outside and will compete for significant playing time.

Forwards

The Redhawks forwards will be led by a pair of returnees, including senior Lauren Lacopo (Troy, Ill./Triad) and junior Ashley Runion (St. Peters, Mo./Fort Zumwalt South).

Lacopo, who is a leader both on and off the field, played in all 14 games and recorded a .556 shot on goal percentage last season. Lacopo has excellent breakaway speed on the outside, and has a nack for setting up goal-scoring opportunities by getting on the wrong side of defenders.

Runion, who earned OVC Freshman of the Year honors two years ago, started all 14 games her sophomore campaign, establishing herself as a dangerous player with physical presence and speed in front of the goal. She led the team in shots (34), assists (2), and shots on goal (17), and scored once.

Lacopo and Runion will be joined by three freshmen at the forward position, all of which will help reinforce the offense. Local products Courtney Luehmann (Charleston, Mo./Notre Dame) and Bobbi Jo Schlick (Jackson, Mo./Jackson) have excellent speed and can play multiple positions. Luehmann, an All-Region, All-District and All-Conference honoree in high school, will challenge for minutes at all three positions. Schlick, who earned First-Team All-State honors as a junior and senior, is a technical crosser and finisher who has the ability to play forward and outside midfielder.

Lastly, freshman Ali Bauer (St. Charles, Mo./St. Dominic) is also a two-time First-Team All-State selection, who will be a nice addition to the forward and outside midfielder positions. Bauer, a technical player with great vision, recorded 17 goals and 10 assists her junior season at St. Dominic High School.

Schedule

The Redhawks start the 2009 season with four consecutive home games. The homestand begins with a pair of Missouri Valley Conference foes in Indiana State (August 21) and a tough Evansville (August 23) squad that claimed a share of the MVC championship. Alabama A&M (August 28) and Northern Illinois (August 30) also visit Houck Stadium during that stretch.

Southeast hits the road for the Northern Iowa Invitational (September 4-6). The Redhawks will face Western Michigan and Missouri-Kansas City in tournament action.

After a road trip to Northwestern State (September 11), the Redhawks return home for what may be their toughest test of the year against Western Kentucky (September 13). The Lady Toppers return eight starters from last year's squad, including four All-Sun Belt selections, that finished 15-2-4. Following a trip to St. Louis to play perennial Division III power Washington University (September 25) the Redhawks open OVC competition against Eastern Illinois (September 27) and Austin Peay (October 2).

After the annual Alumni Game on October 4, the Redhawks travel to Murray State (October 9) to face the defending OVC regular-season champions. From there, Southeast goes to UT Martin (October 11), which returns eight starters from last year's second-place squad.

Southeast closes out its home schedule with a pair of games against Jacksonville State (October 16) and Tennessee Tech (October 18).

The season then wraps up with a three-game road trip beginning at Morehead State (October 23), the reigning OVC Tournament Champions. Conference play wraps up at Eastern Kentucky (October 25) before the Redhawks conclude the regular-season at SIU Edwardsville (October 30).

For the first time, the OVC Women's Soccer Championship will be hosted in its entirety by the league's regular-season champion. The first two rounds will be played on November 5-6, with the championship round to follow on November 8.

The winner of the OVC Tournament will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, which begins with first and second round games on November 13 and 15.

The Redhawks look to capitalize on their core of veteran and youthful talent to return to the NCAA Tournament for the third time in four years.