Late goal lifts Southeast women's soccer team to Ohio Valley Conference title

Southeast Missouri State soccer coach Heather Nelson didn't want to do anything drastic when the SIU Edwardsville soccer team scored in the 74th minute to tie the game at one goal apiece on Friday night.

She didn't want to change the team's formation to have more players attack for fear that it would put their defense at a disadvantage even though a tie would mean that her team would miss out on an Ohio Valley Conference regular-season title.

She wanted her team to stick to its usual plan, which is to have players be "difference-makers and positively affect the game."

Ten minutes later, with 5 minutes, 25 seconds remaining in regulation, Southeast senior midfielder Torey Byrd did just that when she scored on a rebound off a free kick by sophomore defender Christina Rohde.

The Redhawks held on for the 2-1 road victory over the Cougars. The teams shared the OVC regular-season title after both teams finished 8-2 in the conference.

"We had directed it onto their goal, and I don't know, it was almost like everything froze in time and the whole stadium went silent because the ball was rolling towards the goal line," Nelson said of the game-winning goal. "Their goalkeeper was not in a position. She had made a save and she was scrambling to try to get back to jump on it and Torey came from a good distance and just gave every ounce of effort she had in her to make sure that the ball went into the back of the goal. Basically she scored herself and the ball. It was pretty cool."

Southeast earned the No. 1 seed and right to host next week's conference tournament with the win over SIUE.

It is the fifth regular-season OVC title for the Redhawks.

Southeast took a 1-0 lead in the 24th minute of the game on a goal by sophomore forward Natasha Minor. Senior forward Breana Beine assisted on the play.

"Bre got her a ball deep in the end line and she really, honestly, had a brilliant individual effort and went around a couple of players and hit the far side netting," Nelson said. "It was an amazing finish. I mean, under a lot of pressure for her to be so calm and cool and confident and to finish that well was fantastic."

SIUE's Kayla Delgado scored to tie it late in regulation. The ball came across the box and Delgado stretched out and redirected it past Southeast freshman goalkeeper Kindra Lierz, according to Nelson.

The Cougars outshot Southeast 14-4 in the game and had six shots on goal. Lierz had five saves.

"After we had scored in the first half their response was appropriate," Nelson said. "To win the OVC regular season title (outright) they needed a tie or a win, so they came firing. After they scored their goal on us it actually helped us get more focused about what we had to get back to doing -- not just worry about defending, we had to start creating, and we did. After they tied up the game we just stuck to our game plan and the girls got back to business and do what they did best. They started winning the ball and we spent much more time attacking in their end of the field after that."

Southeast (11-5, 8-2 OVC) and No. 2 SIUE (11-6-1, 8-2 OVC) will each receive first-round byes in next week's conference tournament.

The Redhawks will play the winner of a first-round game between No. 4 UT Martin and No. 5 Jacksonville State at 7 p.m. Friday.

Nelson said she was thankful for the Southeast fans that traveled to Edwardsville, Illinois, for Friday's game but that she's excited the Redhawks will get to play on their home turf at Houck Stadium in the tournament.

"We can't wait to come back home in front of our own crowd and hopefully we'll continue to play some great soccer and make Southeast Missouri State proud of us," Nelson said.