SE SOCCER OFFICIALLY KICKS OFF SEASON

Southeast Missouri State University's women's soccer team had a highly respectable inaugural season of play last year, going 4-8-1 overall and tying for third place in the Ohio Valley Conference.

This season, the Otahkians are setting their sights higher. Their goal is the OVC title.

"That's what we're shooting for and I feel like we can do it," said senior forward Nichole Thiele, last year's leading scorer for the Otahkians with seven goals and three assists. "As far as numbers and talent, we're looking a lot better. It's just a matter of getting used to playing together."

Coach Heather Nelson, whose squad opens its second season of play at 7 o'clock tonight against Northern Iowa at Houck Stadium, also is filled with plenty of optimism.

"I think we've made huge strides from last year, with the combination of our returning players and a very good recruiting class," said Nelson, the 1999 OVC Coach of the Year. "If we stay healthy, I think we can challenge (for the OVC title)."

Thiele, a former Cape Girardeau Central High School standout athlete who will actually have one more season of eligibility remaining after this year even although she is a senior in the classroom, is one of three first-team all-OVC performers returning for the Otahkians.

Other first-team all-league selections from last year are sophomore midfielder Jenny Hamilton and sophomore defender Stephanie Bleau. Hamilton was Southeast's second-leading scorer last year with three goals and two assists.

One other first-team all-conference pick from last year, goalkeeper Beth Guccione, will miss the entire season as a medical redshirt because of a shoulder injury.

Replacing Guccione, who will have a final season of eligibility next year, is senior Tami Hebert, who was impressive during the Otahkians' three exhibition games.

"We're going to miss Beth, but I feel very good about Tami," Nelson said.

Six other players who started at least four games last year also return, including sophomore defender Jennifer Unrein, an honorable-mention all-OVC selection in 1999.

Other returning regulars are sophomore midfielder/defender Angela Martinez, sophomore defender Kori Marchi, senior defender Becky Naeger (from Perryville), sophomore forward Brooke Nett and sophomore midfielder Melissa Vallera.

While the returning players figure to be solid, Nelson is particularly excited about what appears to be a bumper recruiting class featuring nine freshmen, several of whom are already penciled in as starters.

Forward Valerie Henderson, midfielder Erika Todd and defender Jen Cross all earned prestigious all-metro honors in the St. Louis area last year while midfielder Julie Wunderlich was a standout at Jackson High School. All four have earned starting positions, according to Nelson.

Another local freshman who will help out is defender Lorie Bittle, a former Cape Central star. Other freshmen are forward Jen Zimmerman, midfielder Carolyn Behnen, defender Emily Knowlton and defender Karen Schmitt.

"I'm really excited about the freshmen we signed," said Nelson. "Valerie and Erika are both very good goal scorers who will help our offense be a lot more balanced this year. I don't think people will be able to key on Nichole as much this year."

Everybody seems to be excited about the new FieldTurf playing surface at Houck Stadium and the fact the Otahkians will be able to play all of their home games at Houck this season.

"The girls really love this field, and it's great to have all of our home games at Houck, after having only one game there last year," said Nelson. "It's really a big boost for our program."

* Southeast's entire 2000 schedule appears in 'Scoreboard' on 2B.