Soccer romps 6-0; volleyball still perfect in OVC

The Southeast Missouri State soccer team scored just four goals in its first 10 games this year.

Murray State proved to be just what the doctor ordered for Southeast's ailing offense.

The host Redhawks exploded for six first-half goals Friday night and romped 6-0 win for their first Ohio Valley Conference win of the season.

A crowd of nearly 300 at Houck Stadium saw the Redhawks improve to 2-6-3 overall and 1-0-1 in OVC play as they snapped a six-match winless streak. The Racers are 3-6 and 1-1.

Southeast's six goals were its most against an OVC opponent since the Redhawks routed Eastern Kentucky 9-0 in 2007.

"We talked a lot about our players being complete players," Southeast coach Heather Nelson said in a release. "We defend a lot with our forward players and attack with our back players. They did a great job of both those things. We created some fantastic scoring opportunities and our players were on in terms of finishing."

The Redhawks got on the board in the eighth minute when an MSU foul gave senior Courtney Luehmann a free kick just past midfield.

Luehmann served a ball into the middle of the 18-yard box that senior Hayley Abbott headed home.

In the 16th minute, Southeast began a string of three goals in an 8:14 span.

Freshman Paige Luehmann set up the Redhawks' second tally with a cross that found fellow freshman defender Amy Harrington running down the other side of the field.

Harrington one-touched the ball into the far side of the net for her first career goal.

Junior Jacey Boyko made it 3-0 in the 21st minute. She corralled a loose ball from 25 yards out and fired a shot into the top corner. The goal was unassisted.

Sophomore Torey Byrd scored in the 24th minute. Senior Ali Bauer and Courtney Luehmann earned assists.

The Southeast defense got involved once again in the 39th minute as Byrd got her second goal of the night to make it 5-0. Abbott and Paige Luehmann recorded assists.

Bauer headed home a corner kick from freshman Ashley Geist into the top of the net with 27 seconds left in the half to cap the scoring.

Southeast's defense scored or assisted on five of the six goals. The starting defense of Abbott, Bauer, Harrington and Paige Luehmann combined for three goals and four assists on the night.

The big lead allowed the Redhawks to limit the minutes of most of their starters in a scoreless second half.

"It was great to give some of our younger players minutes in the second half," Nelson said. "They got a lot of quality minutes against a quality program that wasn't going to lay down in the second half."

Southeast attempted a season-high 21 shots and allowed only nine Murray State attempts.

Junior Ashton Aubuchon got the starting nod in goal for the Redhawks. The junior made five saves for her first win and shutout of the season.

Southeast concludes its homestand today when Austin Peay visits for a 1 p.m. OVC match.

Volleyball

Southeast continued its best OVC start since 2000 Saturday night with a 25-19, 30-28, 25-13 victory at Jacksonville State.

The Redhawks improved to 12-6 overall and 4-0 in OVC play as they won their sixth straight match. The Gamecocks fell to 9-9 and 3-1.

Junior Emily Coon paced Southeast offensively with 13 kills. Senior Brittney Kalinoski followed with 11.

Junior setter Julie Shives posted a double-double with 37 assists and 14 digs.

Junior Colleen Yarber led in digs with 12 and she added eight kills. Senior Samantha Lowman contributed 11 digs.

Southeast, which has played 17 of its first 18 contests away from home, begins a five-match homestand Tuesday when Arkansas State visits at 6:30 p.m.

Cross country

Southeast teams both finished in the top 20 Saturday against rugged competition at the Sean Earl Lakefront Invitational in Chicago.

Southeast's men tied for seventh while the women were 19th.

The men competed among a field of 456 runners from 47 squads.

Nate Shipley led Southeast's men with a 19th-place finish. His time in the 8-kilometer race was 25 minutes, 29 seconds.

Brent Collins was 44th (26:02), Tyler Mullen 55th (26:06), Craig Munie 69th (26:21) and Charles Johnson 70th (26:23) to round out Southeast's scoring runners.

The women competed among a field of 514 runners from 51 teams.

Rebekah Lawson paced Southeast's women with a 53rd-place showing. Her time in the 5-kilometer race was 18:34.

Jenny Govero was 125th (19:16), Maria Trowbridge 132nd (19:19), Lindsey Seabaugh 144th (19:25) and Gloria Westlake 145th (19:25).

Southeast has a week off before competing at the pre-national meet in Louisville, Ky., Oct. 13.

-- From staff reports