Live Stats

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. - The Northeastern State women's soccer team opens the regular season tonight with a 7 p.m. contest against non-conference foe Augustana College at DeLoache Field. The RiverHawks drew in their lone exhibition match 1-1 against Oklahoma Baptist, while the Vikings defeated Morningside 2-0.

WHO IS AUGUSTANA COLLEGE?
The Vikings hail from Sioux Falls, S.D., and are members of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Athletics Association. Augustana will open the season tonight, and is coming off a 6-10-2 mark last year. The team posted a 5-8-2 conference record and was 4-4-1 on the road. Augie held opponents to just 18 goals last season, but the Vikings only scored 17. The team returns each of its top five scorers from a year ago, including Payton Pry (4-1=9), Kara Bartels (3-2=8), Katie Hurd (2-1=5), Mackenzie Trom (2-0=4) and Maren Werth (1-2=4). Goalkeeper Ashley Limmer (2-6-0, 0.85 GAA, .800 S%) also returns after a sophomore campaign where she split time in net.

NSU COMING OFF BEST SEASON IN SCHOOL HISTORY
Northeastern State is coming off one of the greatest seasons in school history, as the 2012 team broke the school record for best winning percentage (.711) and tied the school mark for most wins (13). The club finished 13-5-1 overall and advanced to the semifinals of the MIAA Championship. The 7-4-1 league mark was good for fourth place. NSU led the MIAA in points per game (6.32), goals per game (2.26) and assists per game (1.79).

RIVERHAWKS RETURN MULTIPLE TOP PERFORMERS
NSU returns seven starters from last year's squad, including leading goal scorers' senior midfielder Elizabeth Cudjoe and sophomore forward Lindsey Latta. Cudjoe was an all-region performer and an All-MIAA First Teamer, and Latta was named to the All-MIAA Honorable Mention team. Six of NSU's top seven scorers return, including senior forwards Jennifer Clark and Emily Voges, senior midfielder Kelsey Sheldon and sophomore defender Rachel Gleason. Other All-MIAA returners are senior midfielder Renee' Valcarcel (Second Team) and senior defender Jessy Phillips (Second Team).

NORTHEASTERN STATE SELECTED TO FINISH THIRD IN MIAA
Northeastern State was picked to finish third in the 2013 MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll. The RiverHawks finished the 2012 season 13-5-1 and progressed to the semifinals of the MIAA Championship, where they fell to No. 12-ranked University of Central Missouri 1-0. The RiverHawks were slotted to finish behind nationally ranked teams Central Missouri (No. 23) and Central Oklahoma (No. 23). The Jennies and Bronchos were voted No. 1 and No. 2 respectively by the league coaches.

WOOTEN ENTERS FOURTH YEAR AT THE HELM
Chase Wooten is currently in his fourth season as head coach of the Northeastern State women's soccer program. He enters the 2013 campaign with a career record of 31-15-9. Wooten has taken the program to new heights since arriving at NSU. In 2012, he tied the school record for most wins in a single season (13) and also broke the school record for best winning percentage (.711). He has led NSU to three-straight winning seasons, which is also a first in school history. The 2011 club set the school record for fewest losses in a single season (4).

•   •   •   •   •