Early foothold pays off for Redhawks

~ Freshman Stephanie Palmer is new to Southeast fans but a familiar face to the coaching staff

Stephanie Palmer is in her first year with the Southeast Missouri State soccer program, but she has been on the Redhawks' radar for a long time.

Palmer, from Marion, Ill., was first spotted by Southeast assistant coach Paul Nelson roughly half a lifetime ago.

"I was probably 9 or 10 and playing on a boys team," said Palmer. "Our coach didn't really play soccer and he asked Paul to come down to train us once."

It was a goal of hers to play for Southeast ever since then, said Palmer.

Southeast Missouri State freshman Stephanie Palmer defends Ball State's Danielle Rogers during Sunday's game.

That has come to fruition and Palmer is living up to her high school reputation as a big-time scorer.

Palmer is tied for the team lead in goals after scoring her fourth of the season during Sunday's 3-2 double-overtime loss to visiting Ball State.

Palmer, who also has an assist this year, is second on the Redhawks (3-2) with nine points. Senior Ashley Runion also has four goals and a team-high 12 points.

"Stephanie is off to a good start, and she's only going to get better," Southeast coach Heather Nelson said. "She's real coachable and she sees the field very well offensively."

Paul Nelson, Heather's husband, is a former player in the old North American Soccer League -- at the time the highest level of United States professional soccer -- so he knows a thing or two about talent.

Heather Nelson said Palmer immediately caught Paul's eye when he was asked to work with Palmer's youth team.

"Paul saw something in her. He thought she'd be special," Heather Nelson said. "We've followed her for a while."

The left-footed Palmer is best known for her booming shot, which she used to tie Sunday's game at 2-2 with about 12 minutes left in the second half.

Palmer's blast came from about 22 yards out as sophomore Siobhan Symington earned an assist.

"She likes to shoot," Heather Nelson said.

You'll get no argument from Palmer.

"That's my thing, taking people on and shooting," Palmer said.

While Palmer is pleased that her college career is off to a good start, she is far from content.

"I want to keep learning, trying to get better," she said.

Sunday's loss ended Southeast's nine-match home undefeated streak as Ball State (4-2) scored a little more than two minutes into the second and final 10-minute sudden-death overtime.

Southeast got the game's first goal in highlight fashion midway through the opening half.

Lauren Bozesky, a graduate student transfer from Saint Louis University, sent a cross from about 30 yards out into the box. Runion timed a header perfectly for her fourth goal of the season.

Bozesky has three assists, second on the squad behind Runion's four.

The Cardinals scored twice in the final 14 minutes of the half to lead 2-1 at the break.

Maggie Brown had a goal and an assist for Ball State. Sarah Orisich netted the game-winner. The Cardinals outshot Southeast 26-15, although the good scoring chances were about even.

Southeast concludes its three-match homestand Friday, playing Stetson at 7 p.m.