Otahkians switch roles for opener in OVC tournament

For the first time in three years, Southeast Missouri State University women's soccer team begins the Ohio Valley Conference postseason tournament as an underdog.

But entering today's 2 p.m. tournament play-in game at Tennessee-Martin, Southeast coach Heather Nelson figures maybe that's not such a bad thing.

The last two years, the Otahkians went through the OVC's regular season without a defeat. They earned the right to host the league tournament both times and entered as the favorite -- but lost narrow decisions to Eastern Illinois in consecutive finals.

This time around, the Otahkians will have to do their damage on the road if they hope to secure their first NCAA tournament berth. The OVC tournament champion automatically qualifies for the NCAA playoffs.

"The last two years we've been at home for the tournament and we lost," Nelson said. "So maybe this will change our luck, going on the road."

Southeast (9-5-4, 4-3-1) finished fifth in the nine-team OVC. Tennessee-Martin (9-6-3, 4-2-2) was fourth, although the Skyhawks lost to the visiting Otahkians 2-1 during the regular season.

The winner of today's game moves on to the tournament semifinals Friday in Birmingham, Ala., facing regular-season champion and host Samford (11-4-3, 7-1-0).

Friday's other semifinal pits OVC runner-up Eastern Illinois (10-5-4, 6-0-2) against either third-place Jacksonville State (10-4-4, 4-1-3) or sixth-place Tennessee Tech (9-10-0, 3-5-0), who meet in today's other play-in game in Jacksonville, Ala. The title contest will be Sunday.

"I think it's a pretty wide-open tournament," Nelson said. "The conference was very balanced this year."

Nelson is encouraged that the Otahkians -- riddled by injuries most of the season -- have recently started getting some key players back on the field.

"It's been a strange year with all the injuries, but we've gotten healthier lately," Nelson said.