The Southeast women’s soccer team took on Belmont on Oct. 8th for their first of four final games at Houck Field for the season. After five back to back games on the road, the Redhawks’ fell short to Belmont 2-4.

The first half was aggressive by both teams. Belmont had nine shots on goal, and Southeast had three shots, but at the end the game was tied 0-0.

In the second half, things heated up quickly. Belmont scored their first of four goals ten minutes into the half. The second and third ones followed shortly after it. Southeast, senior defensive player Shelby Beussink snuck a goal in of her own in the 68th minute, bringing the score to 1-3.

That goal shifted the dynamic of the game and boosted the team’s overall moral.

“I think we realized then that we’re not out of this game, we’re still in it,” Beussink said. “So after that goal, we just had to get that fire going again.”

Five minutes after Beussink’s goal, Belmont slid another one in, but that did not get the Redhawks down. Sophomore forward Katie Lever scored her second goal of the season on a header assisted by senior forward Maddy Cornell.

“[Cornell] played a literal brilliant ball and I was just so happy to be there,” Lever said. “When the ball started coming I just said, ‘I have to finish this I have to finish this,’ and I did and it was awesome.”

Lever said the team was energized after that goal.

“Look at the shots ratio, we definitely picked that up so the energy picked up,” Lever said. “It’s unfortunate we didn’t get the result today, but all we can do is train hard this week and get ready for next time.”

Head coach Heather Nelson said that the team is battling a lot of injuries along with players playing in positions they’re not used to, but that doesn’t hinder their determination or goals they have moving towards the final games of this season.

“We are fighting with every ounce we have,” Nelson said. “They could’ve rolled over today and they didn’t, so I thought we played very inspired and closed the gap in shots.

Despite the tough loss, Nelson said the team is working hard, which speaks to a work ethic that will influence the future of the program.

“I’m confident, as much as the result didn’t show it today, that we are moving in the right direction,” Nelson said.

The Redhawks’ next game will be Friday Oct. 13th at Houck Field starting at 6:30pm against Eastern Illinois University.