Slow start dooms Southeast Missouri State soccer team

A strong second half by the Southeast Missouri State soccer team could not make up for the Redhawks' slow start.

Missouri-Kansas City scored a goal in the 26th minute, and that stood up in the visiting Kangaroos' 1-0 victory Friday night.

An announced crowd of more than 700 at Houck Stadium saw UMKC improve to 1-1-1 while dropping Southeast to 0-2-1.

The Kangaroos capped a dominant start by notching their first goal of the season.

UMKC fired eight of the next nine shots after Southeast created an early corner kick. Hunter Wagoner played a long ball that went behind the Redhawks' defense and found Taylor Bare, who slipped in all alone and beat keeper Renee Kertz.

The Redhawks had a strong opportunity in the closing seconds of the opening half.

Amy Ward's long throw in made its way to Hayley Abbott, who got a shot from in close that UMKC keeper Jami Finnell turned aside.

"We were flat coming out in the first half," Southeast associate head coach Paul Nelson said. "We had a bit of a talk at halftime and picked it up from there. It was good that I was able to stick people in other positions and they played well."

Southeast came out strong in the second half and appeared to tie the contest in the 66th minute when Ashley Geist launched a shot from outside that caromed off Finnell to Courtney Luehmann.

Luehmann fired a shot from the middle that Finnell again steered aside, and Jacey Boyko tapped the loose ball into the net. But Boyko had been whistled offside.

The Kangaroos held the Redhawks without a shot over the next 22 minutes.

Southeast had one final golden opportunity in the 88th minute. Erin Shulman got taken down in the 18-yard box to earn a penalty kick, which Torey Byrd took.

Finnell, the reigning Summit League defensive player of the week, made a diving save to keep the Redhawks off the board.

Southeast drew two more corner kicks in the closing minutes but was unable to solve Finnell.

"The exciting thing is we created chances," Nelson said. "We had good chances, but we need to put the ball into the net."

The Redhawks outshot UMKC 8-5 in the second half, but the Kangaroos held a 14-11 advantage in shots.

Kertz, who is in her first season of college soccer after being a four-year starter for the Southeast softball team, made her second consecutive start in goal. She stopped five of the six shots she faced.

Finnell stopped all eight shots that came her way for UMKC.

The Redhawks conclude their four-game season-opening homestand today when Drake visits at 6:30 p.m.

"Everything we are doing prepares us for conference, but we really need to earn a win," Nelson said.