Seniors Guccione, Thiele help Otahks to OVC soccer title

Southeast Missouri State University's record-setting soccer season has been fueled in large part by an exceptional freshmen class that lifted the Otahkians' talent level considerably.

But coach Heather Nelson is quick to point out that the Otahkians likely wouldn't have accomplished nearly as much as they have this year without the play -- and leadership -- of the squad's only two senior starters, forward Nichole Thiele and goalkeeper Beth Guccione.

"One of the big keys to the season has been the leadership of Beth and Nichole," said Nelson. "They have given such great leadership and 100 percent of themselves all the time. They've meant so much to our program."

In just their third year of play, the Otahkians have put together a 15-1 record and they won their first Ohio Valley Conference regular-season championship by going through the league schedule undefeated. As a result, Southeast will host the OVC Tournament this weekend, with an automatic NCAA berth on the line.

For Thiele and Guccione, the Otahkians' co-captains, it has been the type of senior season that they at one time could only have dreamed about when they began with the program during its inaugural campaign in 1999.

"I really couldn't have asked for anything more and it's been a fun, neat experience watching the program grow," said Thiele. "I remember how coach was at first just scraping for players and now they're calling her."

Said Guccione, "I couldn't have asked for a better year. I've loved every minute of it. It's awesome, where we are now, compared to where we were when we started. The first year I think we had like 15 or 16 players and now coach is getting calls all over the place."

Hometown product

Thiele was one of the state's top all-around athletes at Cape Girardeau Central High School and she graduated before Southeast even had a soccer program.

An all-stater in basketball for the Lady Tigers, she played that sport -- but not soccer -- for two seasons at John A. Logan (Ill.) Junior College and thought long and hard about continuing with basketball at a four-year school.

But Thiele ultimately decided to return home and join Nelson's brand-new Otahkians, for whom she would have three seasons of eligibility.

"At first I didn't know if I'd made the right decision, but I finally told myself everything happens for a reason," she said.

Thiele admits that now her decision looks like solid gold. A top player for the Otahkians ever since she began play with them, Thiele is the program's career leader in goals with 29, including nine this season. She has been a two-time all-OVC first-team selection.

"I'm definitely glad I decided to play soccer," she said.

The Otahkians, after going 4-8-1 in the program's first season, improved to 10-6-1 last year, although they could finish no better than tied for third in the OVC in either season. But Thiele figured much better things were in store for this year.

"Coach had been talking up the freshmen class, so I knew we were going to be good," she said. "I didn't know we would only lose one game, but I knew we had a good team"

As well as the Otahkians have done so far, Thiele said the season will not be complete unless they reach their final goal of earning an NCAA berth for the first time.

"I've always wanted to make it to the NCAA Tournament, even when I was playing basketball," she said. "To finish up my career that way would be great."

Blessing in disguise

Guccione was, along with Thiele, one of Nelson's big early recruits. The St. Louis native was a two-time junior-college All-American at Lewis & Clark (Ill.) Community College.

After a solid rookie season with the Otahkians, Guccione missed all of last year as she redshirted because of a shoulder injury that required surgery. At the time, Guccione was disappointed. But, had she been able to play in 2000, that would have completed her eligibility. So Guccione acknowledged that things worked out for the best.

"It was really hard last year sitting out, but at the same time I knew that the program would only get better," she said. "It's definitely been a blessing in disguise."

Guccione, helped out by an excellent defense, has an OVC-leading 12 shutouts and 0.44 goals-against average, the latter figure ranking her fourth nationally. Even if she didn't record a shutout the rest of the season, she would finish tied for second place on the NCAA's all-time list for shutout percentage in a season.

"Our defense has been very good, but Beth has also been there to make some great saves and come through when we've needed her," Nelson said.

Like Thiele, Guccione thought the Otahkians could be something special this year. But she has also been somewhat surprised by how far they've come.

"I definitely thought we had the potential to be this good," she said. "You always have high hopes, but it's hard to bring in so many new girls and jell so quickly, which we've done."

Setting records is great, but Guccione -- who is Southeast's career shutout leader with 15 and figures to be a strong candidate for OVC Player of the Year -- has only one thing on her mind these days.

"The NCAA Tournament is everybody's goal right now," she said. "That would be a great way to end my career."