Aug. 20, 2008

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Coming off a historic 2007 season that culminated with the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks’ second consecutive NCAA tournament appearance, the Redhawks look to win their third consecutive Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Championship in 2008 with a young but very talented squad. The Redhawks will kick off their regular season this Friday in a home game against the Saint Louis Billikens at 7 p.m. Friday.

 

Southeast returns just four of 11 starters from last season, but three of them have earned All-OVC postseason honors in the past. The squad of 12 returning letterwinners is led by a set of three seniors, who will welcome a group of eight newcomers.

 

After battling Missouri to an overtime shootout in the first round of the NCAA tournament last season, reigning OVC Coach of the Year Heather Nelson looks forward to leading the 2008 Redhawks to their third consecutive postseason berth and claiming the program’s first NCAA tournament victory.

 

Defenders

 

The Redhawks’ stingy defense recorded nine shutouts last season, and they return  four defenders from last year’s squad. Senior captain Megan McGrath (Hawthorn, Ill./Carmel) will lead the defensive unit in 2008. McGrath, who started 10 games last season, earned OVC Defensive Player of the Week honors on Oct. 2 last season, her second such award in her career. She scored two goals and added a pair of assists last year.

 

Junior Stephanie Kulavic (Springfield, Ill./Glenwood) logged more minutes in the defense last season than any other returning Redhawk, with 1222 minutes in 16 games and 14 starts.

 

Sophomores Shayna Kremer (Washington, Mo./Washington) and Kristi Frick (Villa Ridge, Mo./Washington), former high school teammates, also return to the defense and will see significant time in the Redhawks defense.

 

Meanwhile, the Redhawks welcome two freshmen to a defense that allowed a conference-best 14 goals. Shona Goodwin (Calgary, Alberta/Western Canada) and Taylor Thomas (Fenton, Mo./Rockwood Summit) will all compete for playing time in the Redhawks defense. Goodwin trained at the Canadian National Training Centre, and Thomas was a former all-state selection in high school.

 

Goalkeepers

 

Reigning OVC Defensive Player of the Year and OVC all-time career shutouts leader Lindsay Pickering returns to the Redhawks in 2008 but in a different capacity than years past. Completing her eligibility last season, Pickering will return to Southeast’s sidelines as an assistant coach. She will be coaching three Redhawks goalkeepers, two of whom return from last year’s squad.

 

Sophomore Jessica Beckham (St. Louis, Mo./Incarnate Word), who performed impressively in spring ball, will battle with junior Rachel Harrington (Vancouver, Wash./Skyview) for the starting position in goal.

 

Harrington is the only goalie besides Pickering who logged time in goal last season, totaling 139:11 with nine saves and a win. She added a pair of saves in over 57 minutes as a freshman in 2006.

 

Beckham, who allowed only one goal in her high school senior season, did not play in goal last year, though she did see action in one game and scored a goal.

 

The two returnees will be joined by redshirt freshman transfer Hannah Groom (Overland Park, Kan./Northwest Mo. State). Groom did not play for the Bearcats last season, thoguh she competed in javelin with the track and field team.

 

Midfielders

 

The Redhawks midfield will be a young group in 2008, after three senior midfielders graduated last season. Two midfielders return from last year’s team, while Southeast welcomes four newcomers to its midfield.

 

Sophomore Vanessa Hart (Dubbo, NSW Australia/Dubbo SC), who earned All-OVC Second Team and OVC All-Newcomer honors last season, will redshirt this season and return to competition in 2009. Hart, who started in all 18 games, scored one goal and had two assists, including an assist in the NCAA tournament first round game against Missouri. She went on to earn Soccer Buzz Magazine Central Region All-Freshman Team accolades.

 

Sophomore Gabrielle Eisenberg (Leesburg, Va./Loudon County) also returns to Southeast in 2008, making the switch from defender. She played in 12 games a year ago and attempting one shot.

 

Mabel Velarde (Quito, Ecuador/Lee University), member of Ecuador’s fullnational team, leads the group of newcomers to the Southeast midfield in 2008. A sophomore transfer from NAIA Lee University in Cleveland, Tenn., Lee head coach Matt Yelton called her the most skillful player he had ever coached. She scored four goals and passed 11 assists, helping lead her squad to a 22-2-0 overall record.

 

A trio of freshmen, Katie Snelson (St. Louis, Mo./Oakville), Abbie Albietz (Wentsville, Mo./Timberland) and Nikki Edwards (Calgary, Alberta/Dr. E.P. Scarlett), will also compete for quality minutes in the midfield. Snelson was a club teammate of fellow Redhawks freshman Thomas and was named most valuable player of her high school team in 2005. Albietz was an all-state slection in high school, and Edwards trained at the Canadian National Training Centre.

 

Forwards

 

The Redhawks return three forwards from last season’s squad, including the reigning OVC Freshman of the Year in Ashley Runion (St. Peters, Mo./Fort Zumwalt South).

 

Runion finished last season as the team leader in goals (11), game-winning goals (4), points (27), shot percentage (.200) and shots on goal percentage (.527). She led the OVC in points and game-winning goals while finishing second in total goals. She ranked first in goals in conference games and returns in 2008 as the team’s top scoring threat.

 

Runion will be joined by senior Casey Kraft (St. Louis, Mo./Nerinx Hall), who earned All-OVC second team honors and OVC Tournament MVP in 2006. She scored a pair of goals in just six shots in 17 games last season playing primarily as a defender. She returns as one of Southeast’s most dangerous players this season.

 

Fellow senior Nicole Bussman (Port Orchard, Wash./South Kitsap) will play primarily as a forward this season. Last season she logged action in 17 contests.

 

Junior Lauren Lacopo (Troy, Ill./Triad) also returns up front in 2008. Seeing playing time in 12 games last season, Lacopo scored one goal and had four shots on goal in nine attempts.

 

Velardeand Albietz will also receive some playing time at forward as well.

 

Schedule

 

The Redhawks kick-off the 2008 schedule against a pair of strong non-conference opponents that handed the Redhawks their only two losses of the season. Southeast kicks off the season at home against Saint Louis University on Aug. 23 and then hosts Missouri State on Aug. 29.

 

Southeast then travels to St. Louis, Mo., to battle Army on a neutral field, before returning home to play SIU Edwardsville on Sept. 12. After a game at Northern Illinois, the Redhawks return to Cape Girardeau for a three game home stand that begins with a game against Evansville on Sept. 22.

 

The remainder of the homestand features the beginning of OVC play with home matches against Murray State on Sept. 26 and UT Martin on Sept. 28, two teams that figure to compete for the OVC title in 2008.

 

The squad will make a trip to Alabama the following weekend, playing at Jacksonville State in an OVC game before heading to Alabama A&M for a non-conference game on Oct. 5.

 

The rest of the season will consist of league games, beginning with Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky at Houck Stadium on Oct. 10 and 12.

 

The Redhawks will close the regular season with three away games at Austin Peay, Tennessee Tech and Eastern Illinois prior to the OVC tournament.

 

The OVC tournament will start with a pair of play-in games on Nov. 4 prior to the semifinal and final rounds on Nov. 7 and 9 hosted by the league’s No. 1 seed.

 

The winner of the OVC tournament will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, which beings on the weekend of Nov. 14 and 16 with first and second round games.

 

With the departure of perennial power Samford from the OVC, Southeast has its eyes on a second straight OVC regular season championship. More importantly though, they have their mark set on a third-consecutive OVC tournament championship and NCAA tournament berth.