SE WOMEN'S SOCCER OFFICIALLY DEBUTS

Southeast Missouri State University's inaugural women's soccer team has already played two games.

But tonight, the Otahkians will play the first official match in school history when they open the 1999 season against Drury College in Springfield. Action is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

The Otahkians will remain in Springfield for a 1 p.m. Sunday game against Southwest Missouri State.

"We're expecting two good, solid matches," said Southeast coach Heather Nelson. "These first two matches should be good reality checks for where we stack up. I think Southwest Missouri is ranked third in the Missouri Valley Conference and Drury has been a very good team in the past."

The Otahkians have demonstrated in their two exhibition games that they should be a competitive squad during the school's first season of women's soccer.

Southeast lost to the St. Louis Busch Soccer Club 3-1 on Aug. 17 and defeated Belmont 2-1 on Aug. 20.

"We're excited about the start of the regular season," Nelson said. "The two (exhibition) games have definitely highlighted the areas we have to improve on and that's what we're focusing on.

"We still have a long way to go, but we seem to be improving by leaps and bounds."

The Otahkians received strong defense in their exhibition games and Nelson believes that will carry over into the regular season.

"Our defensive unit and goalkeeper Beth Guccione have played very well together and our forwards are gaining a better understanding of how to attack," said Nelson. "We need a total performance in order to be successful."

Guccione was Nelson's top recruit this year as she earned first-team National Junior College Athletic Association All-American honors the past two seasons at Lewis & Clark Community College in Godfrey, Ill.

"You have to have a good goalkeeper to be successful and Beth is a strong goalie who should make us very competitive," Nelson said.

Defenders who have played well include freshmen Angela Martinez, Jennifer Unrein, Stephanie Bleau and Melissa Vallera.

Freshman Brooke Nett scored both Southeast goals during its win over Belmont while junior Nichole Thiele out of Cape Girardeau Central High School had the only goal in the loss to the Busch Soccer Club.