Southeast Missouri State women's soccer team likes home cooking in Ohio Valley Conference tournament

The Southeast Missouri State women's soccer team knows playing at home doesn't guarantee an Ohio Valley Conference tournament championship.

But the Redhawks believe it's a significant advantage to have the event, which sends the winner to the NCAA tournament, in the friendly confines of Houck Stadium.

"We have a really good home crowd," senior defender Shona Goodwin said. "You can't take any teams for granted, but I think if we do the little things right, we should be successful."

Added senior midfielder Lauren Bozesky: "If we play as well as we're capable, I think we'll have a great chance. It's going to be tough, but I believe in the girls."

The six-team OVC tournament, which Southeast is hosting because it won the league's regular-season title, begins today with two first-round games.

Third-seeded Tennessee-Martin (11-6-2, 5-3-1 OVC) plays sixth-seeded Eastern Illinois (5-11-2, 4-5) at 4 p.m., followed by fourth-seeded Murray State (7-8-3, 4-3-2) against fifth-seeded Morehead State (9-7-3, 4-4-1) at 7 p.m.

Friday's semifinals feature second-seeded Eastern Kentucky (7-9-3, 5-3-1) playing either Tennessee-Martin or Eastern Illinois at 4 p.m., with top-seeded Southeast (12-5-1, 8-1) facing either Murray State or Morehead State at 7 p.m.

The championship game will played at 1 p.m. Sunday.

"We're very excited to host the tournament," said Southeast coach Heather Nelson, who has led the Redhawks to four OVC regular-season championships. The others came in 2001, 2002 and 2007.

Southeast also has captured two OVC tournament crowns and NCAA tournament berths, in 2006 and 2007. The 2007 tournament title came at Houck Stadium.

"It's much better to be at home, in our own beds, our own routine," Nelson said.

Even though Southeast comfortably won this year's regular-season championship, Nelson expects a rugged challenge in the single-elimination format that allows no margin for error.

Defending OVC regular-season and tournament champion Morehead State, which Southeast could play in the semifinals, handed the Redhawks their only league loss, 2-1 on Oct. 7 in Morehead, Ky.

Tennessee-Martin, which Southeast could not meet until the finals, beat the Redhawks 2-1 in a nonconference game Oct. 21 at Houck Stadium. Southeast won the OVC contest against the Skyhawks 2-1 in Martin, Tenn., on Oct. 14.

"OVC matches are typically nail-biters," Nelson said. "But I think we're playing at a very high level. I feel very good about the team. I think we'll have a very good performance."