COLLEGE: SOUTHEAST SOCCER, CROSS COUNTY SHOOT FOR CONFERENCE TITLES

Southeast Missouri State University's women's soccer and cross country teams aren't favored to win Ohio Valley Conference championships this weekend, but both coaches believe their squads definitely have at least a decent shot.

The OVC soccer tournament and cross country race will both be held in Charleston, Ill., with the soccer action taking place today through Sunday and the cross country meet being contested Saturday.

OVC Soccer

Southeast put together an impressive 10-5-1 regular season after winning just four matches a year ago during the program's inaugural campaign.

And, bolstered by a four-game winning streak to end the 2000 season, Otahkian coach Heather Nelson is optimistic about her team's chances this weekend.

"I's really pleased with the way we finished the (regular) season and at this point, I think the tournament is wide open," said Nelson. "The results have been so tight in our conference."

Defending tournament champion Eastern Illinois earned the right to host the event after capturing its second straight OVC regular-season title. The Panthers, 14-3-1 overall, went 5-0 in league play to earn the No. 1 seed.

Tennessee Tech (10-7, 4-1) is seeded second. The Eaglettes, along with the Panthers, have a first-round bye.

Southeast, Morehead State (8-9-1) and Murray State (8-10-1) all finished in a tie for third in the six-team league with 2-3 records. Since the teams went 1-1 against each other, the squads were seeded in a random draw. Murray State wound up third, with Morehead State fourth and Southeast fifth.

Tennessee-Martin (0-17, 0-5) is the sixth and final seed.

In today's first-round games, Southeast plays Morehead State at noon and Murray State faces Tennessee-Martin at 2:30 p.m. The semifinals will be at noon and 2:30 p.m. Saturday, with the championship match at 1 p.m. Sunday.

"We're 3-0 against Morehead the last two seasons, but every game has been close," Nelson said. "We're looking for a tough first game, but we're looking forward to advancing and getting another shot at Eastern Illinois."

Southeast has won six of its last seven games, the only loss during that time a 3-1 setback to Eastern Illinois. The Otahkians are led offensively by freshman Erika Todd with 13 goals and junior Nichole Thiele with 12 goals. Thiele is a Cape Girardeau Central High School product.

Otahkian goalkeeper Tami Hebert has an OVC-best eight shutouts, including four in a row. The squad's lone senior has been vital in picking up the slack after regular goalie Beth Guccione was forced to redshirt this year with a shoulder injury.

OVC Cross Country

Southeast coach Joey Haines thinks Eastern Kentucky's streak of 18 straight women's titles could end this weekend, but he's not sure if his team is healthy enough to claim the crown.

"Two of our top five won't run, which makes it tough," said Haines. "Eastern Kentucky has come back to the pack. They're still a good team, but it's not a dominant situation like it was.

"Eastern Illinois is probably the favorite, but four teams could win it, including Morehead State and us. We have a chance to win it, but we have to have five good races."

Not competing for the Otahkians will be sophomores Christy Williams and Anna Verseman, who are out with injury and illness, respectively.

Leading the Otahkians, who have finished second behind Eastern Kentucky the past several years, is defending OVC individual champion Amy Arteme, a junior out of Kelly High School.

"Amy has had another tremendous season," Haines said.

Haines said that freshmen Kaci Pilcher and Jennifer Burke have been Southeast's top two runners behind Arteme while sophomore Jennifer Brown (Jackson) and junior Jessie Thompson will also be important Saturday.

On the men's side, Southeast finished seventh last year and Haines said the Indians could challenge for as high as fifth this time.

Haines is hoping that freshman Chad Sierman, who has missed virtually the entire season with injuries, will be ready to go Saturday. Other Indians with a chance to make some noise, according to Haines, are freshman Wes Armbruster (Ste. Genevieve) and sophomore Jared Tanz (Perryville).