PREVIEW: Cougars Set for Season Opener Thursday

Thursday, August 17, 5 p.m.
Edwardsville, Ill./Korte Stadium
Video: ESPN+
Live Stats: SIUEstats.com

SIUE Cougars
(0-0, 0-0 Ohio Valley)
Head Coach: Derek Burton (2022 Stats)
Goals P/G: 1.17
Goals Allowed P/G: 1.28
Shots/Opponent Shots 217/197
Shots Per Game/Opponent 12.1/10.9
Shots Percentage/Opponent .097/.117
Shots On Goal/Opponent 93-217/99-197
Shots On Goal Perc./Opppnent .429/.503
Goals Leaders: Four Players Tied (3)
Assists Leader: Sydney Christopher (5)
Shots Leader: Lily Schnieders (42)

Missouri State Bears
(0-0, 0-0 Missouri Valley)
Head Coach: Kirk Nelson (2022 Stats)
Goals P/G: 1.14
Goals Allowed P/G: 1.43
Shots/Opponent Shots 257/248
Shots Per Game/Opponent 12.2/11.8
Shots Percentage/Opponent .093/.121
Shots On Goal/Opponent 129-257/120-248
Shots On Goal Perc./Opppnent .502/.484
Goals Leaders: Hailey Chambliss (8)
Assists Leader: Grace O'Keefe (4)
Shots Leader: Grace O'Keefe (40)

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: Missouri State leads 2-7-2
Home Record: 2-4
Away Record: 0-3-2
Last Meeting: L at SIUE 1-0 (9/8/19)
Last SIUE Win: 1-0 at SIUE (9/18/15)

• SIUE enters the season coming off three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and three Ohio Valley Conference Tournament championship game victories.
• The Cougars won the OVC Championship last season with a 1-0 win at top-seeded Tennessee Tech. SIUE is 5-0-1 all-time in OVC Tournament Championship games.
• Head Coach Derek Burton is in his 16th season as the Cougars' head coach. He has made five appearances in the NCAA Tournament with the Cougars. SIUE previously appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021 and 2022.
• Missouri State also appeared in the NCAA Tournament last season, dropping a 6-0 loss to Arkansas in the opening round. Missouri State won the MVC Tournament title with a 1-0 win over Murray State.
• Matea Diekema, the OVC Player to Watch for the Cougars, was named the 2022 OVC Defensive Player of the Year. She also was selected as a United Soccer Coaches Defender to Watch for the 2023 season. Diekema graduated from SIUE in three years and is playing her fourth season as a graduate student-athlete, anchoring the SIUE defensive corps.
• Sydney Christopher was named the Most Valuable Player of the OVC Tournament. Taylor Spiller, Sarah Magnoni and Mary Wessel also were named to the All-Tournament team.
• Christopher is the top returning scorer from last season with 11 points. She scored three goals with a team-leading five assists.
• Spiller played every minute of every game last season in goal for the Cougars. She posted a 1.28 goals against average with 76 saves. She recorded seven shutouts last season and now has 12 in her collegiate career.
• Diekema and Lily Schnieders were named to the 2022 OVC first team while Christopher earned second team honors. Kasey Neidhardt was tabbed for the All-Newcomer team.
• SIUE was 8-1-4 last season when tied or leading at halftime and 8-1-2 when scoring the game's first goal.
• The Cougars were picked to finish second in the OVC Preseason Poll. Tennessee Tech, the reigning OVC regular season champion, was picked to finish first.
• The OVC welcomes Western Illinois to the league this season. The Cougars will see the Leathernecks at Korte Stadium Oct. 15.