Redhawks soccer, volleyball to begin OVC play

Both squads launch their conference schedules tonight.

Ohio Valley Conference women's soccer hasn't been around all that long, but Southeast Missouri State and Eastern Illinois have built up quite a rivalry.

"It seems like every game we've played with them has been a nail-biter," Southeast coach Heather Nelson said. "It's traditionally a physical and emotional game. It's one of the games the team gets up for the most."

The Redhawks (4-2) and Panthers (2-7) renew their rivalry tonight as the squads open their OVC schedules with a 7 p.m. match at Houck Stadium.

"It should be another exciting game between the two programs," Nelson said.

Eastern Illinois has won five of the six titles since the OVC began holding a women's soccer tournament in 1999, including four straight. The Panthers have also won two OVC regular-season titles.

Southeast, which began its program in 1999, captured OVC regular-season championships in 2001 and 2002, thus earning the right to host the league tournament both years.

But Eastern Illinois defeated Southeast in each of those tournament finals by one goal, denying the Redhawks NCAA berths and helping fuel the rivalry.

"We've had some great games with them," Nelson said.

Eastern Illinois was picked second in the OVC's preseason poll, with Southeast third (two-time defending regular-season champion Samford was first). Nelson said the Panthers' poor record is deceiving.

"They played an extremely difficult schedule," she said. "To look at their record would be misleading."

While tonight's game is just one of nine OVC matches for both teams , Nelson acknowledged that it would be nice to get off to a good start.

"It would be great to start off with a win," she said. "But I know it's going to be a very tough match."

Volleyball opens OVC

Southeast's volleyball team, which has still not played a home match, also begins its conference schedule tonight with a 7 p.m. contest at Tennessee-Martin, followed by a 2 p.m. Saturday match at Murray State.

The Redhawks are 3-8 in their first season under coach Renata Nowacki. Tennessee-Martin is 2-14 and Murray State is 2-5.

"Our preconference record wasn't what we'd hoped for, but I feel we played good competition and I think it prepared us for the conference," Nowacki said. "We saw lot of good things out of individuals, we just have to put it together."

Southeast was picked fourth in the OVC's preseason poll, with Tennessee-Martin eighth and Murray State 10th. Nowacki believes the conference is up for grabs this year.

"I think it's pretty wide open, absolutely. There are no guarantees," she said. "It's a clean start, we're all starting 0-0.

"We're taking it one match at a time, and keeping our ultimate goal in mind of being OVC champions."

Runners have second meet

Southeast's cross country program will have its second meet of the season Saturday as the men's and women's teams compete in the Greater Louisville Classic in Louisville, Ky.

Set for an 8:30 a.m. start, the meet will feature 55 men's and 49 women's squads.

Southeast's men and women both finished sixth during their season-opening meet, the Memphis Twilight Classic on Sept. 10.