Aug. 26, 2004

Cape Girardeau, Mo. - The Southeast Missouri State University women's soccer team opens the 2004 regular season on Friday, hosting the University of Arkansas in a 7 p.m. match at Houck Stadium.

"It will be good to finally play a match that means something," said Southeast coach Heather Nelson who is beginning her sixth season as head soccer coach. "We played Arkansas at Fayetteville two years ago and lost a one point game, 2-1, and the match could have gone either way. Arkansas is projected as an upper level team in the tough Southeastern Conference and so it should be a tough but competitive opener for us. We're really looking forward to the match up."

Southeast lost both exhibition matches last weekend, but Nelson said she learned a lot about her team. "We were able to play all 22 players in the two matches and it gave us a chance to evaluate the players and the different combinations that work well for us. I thought by Sunday we had the right combinations in place to make us a very competitive team."

Nelson will start a veteran team against Arkansas with the strength again on defense where seniors Jen Cross and Heather Reding will protect in front of senior goalkeeper Amanda Wroz. In midfield, three seniors will start including Laura Hauskins, all-OVC choice Marla Gianino and Michelle Frossard.

The forwards will be seniors Erin Slattery and Diana Poovey.

"We will have plenty of experience on the field and that should help us against a strong team like Arkansas," Nelson said. "We have some very talented newcomers that will play, but we will depend on our veterans."

Following the opener Friday night, Southeast will host Evansville of the Missouri Valley Conference on Sunday, 2 p.m., at Houck Stadium . "Evansville will be another strong opponent," Nelson said. "We beat them 1-0 in Evansville last year and I know they will come in looking for a win. All in all, it should be a great weekend of soccer for our team and our fans."