Otahkians attempt to complete perfect OVC season Sunday

Southeast Missouri State University's soccer team has already wrapped up its first Ohio Valley Conference championship and will host the OVC Tournament next weekend.

But don't expect any kind of a letdown Sunday when the Otahkians finish the regular season with a 2 p.m. game against Murray State at Houck Stadium.

"We definitely want to win," said Southeast coach Heather Nelson. "Our first goal this year was to go undefeated in the conference and we'll be trying to establish that. Our second goal was to win the OVC Tournament and make the NCAA tournament."

By all accounts it has been a glorious third year of soccer for Southeast, which began its program in 1999. Starting from scratch, Nelson led the Otahkians to a 4-8-1 record in that inaugural season and a 10-6-1 mark last year, but Southeast could finish no better than .500 in the OVC in either campaign.

This year, however, has featured a major breakthrough. In addition to a sparkling 14-1 overall record, the Otahkians are 4-0 in OVC play heading into Sunday's finale.

"I think it's a real good accomplishment for such a young program," said Nelson of the Otahkians' OVC regular-season title.

Before the season started, Nelson expressed confidence that the Otahkians could contend for their first conference crown. They returned a solid nucleus -- led by their only two seniors, forward Nichole Thiele and goalkeeper Beth Guccione -- and added a banner recruiting class that featured some of the best high school players from the talent-rich St. Louis area.

"It thought it (an OVC title) was a realistic goal," Nelson said. "The big keys, I think, have been two things. One has been the leadership of our two seniors, Beth and Nichole. And then the athletic ability this freshmen class has provided, both starting and coming off the bench.

"We start about five or six freshmen a game and some others come off the bench."

Key contributors

Thiele, a former standout all-around athlete at Cape Girardeau Central High School, is Southeast's career leader in most offensive categories. After scoring a single-season record 13 goals last season, Thiele has eight so far this year in a much more balanced attack. She also has two assists for 18 points.

Freshman Marla Gianino is the Otahkians' leading scorer with seven goals and nine assists as her 23 points rank second in the OVC, as does her assist total, which is also a single-season school record.

Freshman Erin Slattery leads the Otahkians in goals with nine, which ranks second in the OVC just ahead of Thiele. Slattery also has three assists for 21 points.

Sophomore Erika Todd is another big point-producer for the Otahkians as she has 17, on six goals and five assists.

Yet another freshman, Diana Poovey, has four goals.

Defensively, the Otahkians have allowed just seven goals all season. Guccione leads the OVC in shutouts with 11 and she is fifth nationally in goals-allowed average at 0.47.

Sunday's opponent, Murray State, is 8-7-2 overall and a fourth-place 2-2 in the six-team OVC. By virtue of the Otahkians having clinched the No. 1 seed for the OVC Tournament and the Racers having locked up the No. 4 spot, the teams will square off again at 7 p.m. Friday at Houck Stadium as the league tourney gets under way.

"I would have preferred it to be different or have a longer time span," said Nelson of facing the Racers twice in less than a week. "But there's nothing we can do. We'll make the best of it."