For the sixth time in program history, the SEMO women’s soccer team is Ohio Valley Conference regular season champions. The Redhawks finished the regular season with a 8-1-1 record in conference play, and earned the right to host the OVC Soccer Tournament at Houck Field this weekend.
The Redhawks brought home five honors at the OVC Tournament banquet yesterday evening.
Head Coach Heather Nelson earned her fifth OVC Coach of the Year title after leading the team to 11 total regular seasons win, the most for SEMO since 2014.
Forward Hailey Block was named 2019 OVC Freshman of the Year, as well as Second-Team All-OVC and All-Newcomer Team. Block, who hails from Grafton, Wisconsin, scored seven goals in conference play in her rookie campaign. She accumulated 32 shots in 16 games and scored a team-high five game-winning goals.
Meanwhile, senior Esmie Gonzales was named First-Team All-OVC for the third-straight season. Gonzales had four goals and a team-high four assists in her final season as a Redhawk. Gonzales ranks among Southeast Missouri’s top five career leaders in goals (t2nd, 28), points (t3rd, 68) and field minutes played (5th,5524). The Fort Worth, Texas native holds the record for shots (217) and is tied for first in game-winning goals (12) and shots on goal (103).
The No. 1-seeded Redhawks will host No. 4 SIUE in the semifinals of the OVC Soccer Tournament this evening at 6:30 p.m. The winner will play in the tournament championship game on Sunday at 2 p.m. for the chance to claim the league’s automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.
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