SEMO Soccer prepares for season

As the regular season fast approaches, with a date with the University of Missouri on Thursday, SEMO soccer finished their exhibition games on Monday. The Redhawks tied with 1-1 the Tritons from the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) at the Jackson High School soccer field.

In the first half of the match, the teams traded possession back and forth with UMSL striking first in the 29th minute with a goal from junior back Jaycee Cotton. SEMO kept them out of the net for the rest of the half before knotting the game at the buzzer from sophomore forward Cayla Koerner.

The second half was all SEMO who kept control of the ball for most of the last 45 minutes, creating many chances to score in the process. Head coach Heather Nelson said she was happy with how the team stepped up their intensity in the second half.

“I think we had some really good attacks at the end of the game when we should have been the most tired, but we were probably at our most dangerous which I think says a lot for fitness,” Nelson said.

SEMO traveled to Champaign, Illinois for their first exhibition game where they took on the Fighting Illini of the University of Illinois, losing 3-0. Illinois is a Power Five conference school so Nelson said the team was a step behind but did a good job of putting practice into a match.

“We looked a lot more comfortable with the system here tonight, being just our second game that we've played and I expect that we'll go into Mizzou with some good competence and looking to give them a heck of a game,” Nelson said.

As is the point in exhibition games, SEMO got a look at almost every player in the program, including some freshmen who could make a difference in the future or even as soon as this season. Nelson said two of her freshman attackers, Jackson graduate Justi Nelson and Emily Baker combined well and Madison Geisler had a great showing at goalkeeper. Nelson said of her defense that Notre Dame graduate Kristin Anderson and Anika Sproxton will provide some great depth.

The recent Ohio Valley Conference preseason poll had the Redhawks voted to finish fourth in the conference.

“The OVC is always a nailbiter, but I’m always happy to prove people wrong,” Nelson said.

After traveling to Mizzou this week, SEMO will open up the regular season at home on Sunday vs Grambling State at 1 p.m.