Redhawks' offense stays silent

For most of the season, Southeast Missouri State soccer coach Heather Nelson has stressed patience.

But it's gotten to the point where Nelson is running out of patience.

Nelson publicly expressed frustration for the first time this year after Sunday's 1-0 loss to visiting Eastern Kentucky.

The setback in Southeast's final regular-season home match dropped the Redhawks to 1-7-3 overall and 0-3-2 in Ohio Valley Conference play.

"I am [frustrated] now," Nelson said. "They are Division I athletes. They have to figure out a way to win."

Nelson realized it would take time for the Redhawks to jell after losing seven starters from the 2007 squad that won OVC regular-season and tournament championships. But now, with just three three-regular season matches remaining, Southeast is in serious danger of missing the OVC tournament.

The Redhawks are last in the OVC with two points (in league play, squads receive three points for a win and one point for a tie).

Southeast Missouri State's Kristi Frick kicks the ball away from Eastern Kentucky's Maddy Shumaker during the first half Sunday at Houck Stadium. FRED LYNCH flynch@ semissourian.com

Six of the OVC's nine teams make the conference tournament. The sixth-place squad has seven points, so Southeast has substantial ground to make up.

"Next weekend will be huge," said Nelson, pointing to road games Friday and Sunday.

Nelson has built Southeast's program from scratch into an OVC power, with three conference regular-season titles and two league tournament crowns.

Nelson entered this year with a 100-47-18 record in nine seasons at Southeast. Only her inaugural team in 1999 that went 4-8-1 had a losing record. Southeast has won at least 10 games every year since then.

Offense has been the Redhawks' major downfall this year. Southeast has scored only five goals in 11 matches.

Three of the goals came a weekend earlier in a win and a loss.

But Southeast has been shut out in its last two contests, including Friday's 0-0 double-overtime tie with visiting Morehead State.

"I thought we turned the corner last weekend," Nelson said.

EKU (5-7-2, 3-2), which had lost all three meetings with Southeast since the Colonels started their program in 2005, scored what Nelson deemed a soft goal with about a minute left in the first half Sunday.

Laura Caldon chipped in a shot over Jessica Beckham from a bad angle near the right corner after the Southeast goalie came out to try and get to the ball first.

"It shouldn't have even been a goal," Nelson said. "It would have been a passback if [Beckham] would have stayed in the goal."

The Redhawks' dominated most of the second half and had several chances to net the tying goal. But the Redhawks, despite outshooting EKU 12-2 in the final period, could not score.

"In the second half, I feel like we played closer to our potential," Nelson said. "We need to put 90 minutes together."

Southeast finished with a 17-5 edge in shots. Beckham was credited with two first-half saves and Rachel Harrington, who replaced Beckham in the second half, made one save.

EKU goalie Stephanie Lynch recorded eight saves.

"It's definitely a big win for us," said EKU coach Lindsay Basalyga, whose squad is in second place in the OVC and is having its best season.

Southeast is heading in the opposite direction, but Nelson hopes it's not too late to squeeze into the OVC tournament, which the Redhawks have won the last three years.