Pickering shines in loss; SE gains respect

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Lindsay Pickering decided to attend Southeast Missouri State to play softball.

She decided to add soccer to her resume for the 2005 season.

The Redhawks are thankful she did.

"My decision to play soccer was probably the best one I made," Pickering said.

Pickering made nine saves, including some in close, to help her team stick with the University of Missouri in an NCAA tournament game Friday.

The senior from St. Charles, Mo., made three saves at point-blank range in the second half to keep the game tied.

"I've always been able to stay calm," Pickering said. "I think that me staying calm helps my defensive unit. It's a lot of communication with them."

Pickering set the program record for career shutouts during the season, finishing with eight this season and giving her 28 for her three-year career at Southeast.

First tourney goal

The Redhawks scored their first goal in an NCAA tournament game late in the first half. The Redhawks first reached the NCAA tournament last season, but got shut out by the University of Illinois.

Vanessa Hart sent a pass deep into Missouri territory and Courtney Alexander didn't waste the chance. She belted it past Tigers goalie Mallory Forst.

"We were definitely the underdogs," Alexander said. "It was a huge goal to get it right before halftime to say hey, we're still here and we're not going away. You're going to have to fight us to win."

Southeast senior Alaina Lacopo, who led the team in assists this season, was impressed with Hart's perfect pass.

"Vanessa played a sweet ball to her," Lacopo said. "Courtney was able to stay composed in the box."

Earning respect

Missouri coach Bryan Blitz said he anticipated a close game when he saw his team would play Southeast Missouri State during the NCAA selection show. He left the game impressed.

"Whereas Southeast maybe doesn't have a big name, they gave us just as good a game as Cal, Stanford or Santa Clara," Blitz said. "We knew that going in. I think school names, when you go to the NCAA tournament, are deceiving. And quite honestly, Southeast has the edge on us because they were in the NCAA tournament last year. They're conference champions, we're not."