After losing a teammate due to a scooter accident last fall, the Southeast Missouri State University's soccer team has focused on the importance of teamwork and friendship with the newcomers this season.

Southeast finished fourth in Ohio Valley Conference last season with a 5-3-2 conference record and is predicted to finish third this year, behind UT Martin and Austin Peay.

"Anything can happen in any game," forward Amy Ward said. "It's exciting to be picked as one of the top teams, and we are going to try and fulfill that."

Midfielder Torey Byrd injured her knee during spring camp and had to sit out the first two games of the new season. Her injury, combined with the loss of players, leaves the Southeast team with many young players competing for minutes.

Fourteen of the returning players accounted for 52 of 68 points last season. Ten new players join the team, and 15 out of the 25 players are freshmen or sophomores.

"We're really young," senior goalkeeper Ashton Aubuchon said. "We have a lot of freshman, and the first thing you have to do is learn how to play at a Division 1 sport, and that's still a work in progress."

Aubuchon said that having young enthusiastic players helps inspire the returning players and that the team is overall more family orientated in comparison to previous years.

Southeast opened their three-game exhibition schedule in Cape Girardeau by tying Saint Louis University 0-0 on Aug. 13. The Redhawks also competed against Lipscomb, and Erin Shulman brought Southeast their first goal in the second half, but that wasn't enough to bring a win home. The Redhawks finished with a 2-1 loss.

The final exhibition game against Missouri S&T was held the next day. Storm French and Minor both scored two goals each. Southeast outshot the Miners 18-5, making a comeback from the previous night, and won 7-0.

The team played against Nebraska opening night. Nebraska's Mayme Conroy scored the first goal in the third minute. Aubuchon had six saves in the first half, but Nebraska led with 1-0 at halftime.

Nebraska scored three more goals in the second half. Southeast players Jenna Collingridge and Ashley Geist took shots in the 75th minute, but both were blocked, leaving Southeast with a 4-0 loss.

"It was very challenging," defender and forward Jacey Boyko said. "At the same time, with our preseason games, I personally think we have improved on some situations because we basically have a whole new back line."

Southeast took on Missouri-Kansas City next. Natasha Minor scored at 8:01 with the assistance of freshman Christina Rohde. Southeast held the lead 1-0 until the end of the first half.

Aubuchon stopped four shots in the second half, but the Kangaroos scored in the 63rd minute. Kangaroos' player Ashley Ganna set up Taylor Bare in the 72nd minute, leaving the Kangaroos in the lead at 2-1. Southeast had one shot on goal, but the defense stopped the team from scoring.

"It's obviously not the best outcome," Boyko said. "But I'm glad that we can learn from those games and figure out what we can do right from the start of the season."

Though the team still suffers from the death of senior Meg Herndon last September, the players learned the importance of the relationships on and off the field. Ward said that the players are all a lot closer than they have been in the past, which has led to better communication on the field.

"We've learned to not just be friends but more like sisters," Aubuchon said. "We've welcomed them even more with open arms than we would have previously, just due to the stuff we have been through."

The team helped raise money for the Meg Herndon Scholarship Fund last year, which will be presented to a soccer player at Southeast next fall. The Redhawks also plan to honor her this year at a game where her jersey number will be retired. Boyko said she is looking forward to that game the most this season.

"It will be emotional, but it will be a good one," Boyko said.