Southeast Missouri State soccer team stays unbeaten in OVC

~ Southeast topped Jacksonville State 2-0

The Southeast Missouri State soccer team got off to a rough start this year against a rugged nonconference schedule.

That now seems like a distant memory for the Redhawks, who continue to surge.

The host Redhawks pushed their undefeated streak to five games by beating Ohio Valley Conference opponent Jacksonville State 2-0 on Sunday afternoon at Houck Stadium.

Southeast improved to 4-4-2 on the season and the Redhawks are 4-0-1 in their last five matches.

More importantly, the Redhawks are 2-0-1 in the OVC after winning their home conference opener. They have allowed just one goal in league play.

"It feels really good to be winning and we're doing great in conference," said sophomore forward Erin Shulman, who had both Southeast goals in the second half. "I think after playing some really hard, difficult teams, it made us better and prepared us for conference."

Southeast coach Heather Nelson feels the same way.

"Without a doubt," Nelson said when asked if the tough early schedule is now paying dividends. "We're very young and we needed to grow up as fast as we could. I think we're playing pretty good soccer. We're moving well off the ball and our forwards are creating some dangerous chances."

Things did not come easy for Southeast on Sunday even though the Gamecocks (4-8-1, 0-4) are winless in conference play.

Southeast dominated the match, but the stellar play of JSU sophomore keeper Taylor Hammond kept the Redhawks off the board until they finally broke through with 23 minutes, 41 seconds left.

Shulman, after getting a step on her defender, was taken down just inside the 18-yard box. The foul gave Southeast a penalty kick and Shulman sent a low bullet into the far right corner.

"I really mix it up," Shulman said of her strategy on penalty kicks. "I look one way and go the other. I saw her [Hammond] go left out of the corner of my eye."

Nelson, relieved to see Southeast finally break the scoreless tie, said with a laugh: "I wanted to run onto the field and hug Erin after that goal. But that would've probably gotten me a card."

Shulman added insurance with her team-leading fourth goal of the season with 11:32 remaining.

Junior Kasey Crowden, a Jackson High School graduate, started a counter attack and chipped a nice ball to a cutting Shulman behind the JSU defense.

Shulman won a race with Hammond to the ball and scored into the empty net. It was Crowden's first assist of the season.

"It was a great through ball by Kasey," Shulman said.

Southeast had numerous other golden scoring opportunities but were constantly rebuffed by Hammond, who made at least a half-dozen spectacular saves. She was credited with 15 stops overall.

"Their goalie had some really great saves," Shulman said. "We just kept going at them and knew eventually it would go in."

The Redhawks finished with a 24-5 advantage in shots and a 15-2 edge in corner kicks.

Shulman (seven shots), junior Breana Beine (five) and freshman Natasha Minor (four) combined for the majority of Southeast's shots.

"We created a lot of very dangerous chances. Their keeper had a great performance against us," Nelson said.

Southeast senior keeper Ashton Aubuchon made four saves, including an especially strong one early in the second half when the game was still scoreless, for her third shutout of the season and 18th of her career, which ranks second in program history.

"We played well. It was really a team effort," Crowden said.

The Redhawks are back in action Friday, visiting Eastern Kentucky for a 3 p.m. OVC contest.