SIUE has been predicted to win the 2022 Ohio Valley Conference women’s soccer title as voted on by the league’s head coaches and communication directors. The Cougars received 11 first-place votes and 123 points. UT Martin, which won a share of its fifth regular-season title last year, earned seven first-place votes and 119 points while Tennessee Tech picked up 96 points for a third-place predicted finish. Little Rock, one of three new members in the OVC this season, is picked to finish fourth with 72 points while Southeast Missouri earned 71 points for fifth place. Morehead State (58), Eastern Illinois (51), Southern Indiana (42) and Lindenwood (16) round out the poll.
SIUE went 6-2 in the OVC while going 11-7 overall to earn a share of the regular-season title. The Cougars earned the second seed in the OVC tourney and went on to win their fourth conference championship crown. Derek Burton is in his 15th season as the head coach of SIUE. He will have a junior forward Maria Harojunior forward Lily Schneiders and sophomore forward Kaitlyn Nicholls back from last year’s team. Haro, who earned 2021 All-OVC first team honors, finished second in the league with seven goals last year. A first team All-OVC pick last season, Schneiders had seven goals to rank second in the OVC while also recording five assists. Nichols was an All-Newcomer selection last year after scoring three goals.
This season marks the 25th season of OVC soccer and the league welcomes three new teams in Lindenwood, Little Rock and Southern Indiana.
SIUE women’s soccer opens its home schedule Saturday with a 6 pm exhibition contest against Western Illinois at Ralph Korte Stadium. The soccer regular-season will get underway on Aug. 18 against Indiana State at home.
The OVC Championship will take place at campus sites on October 28 & 30 and Nov. 4 & 6.
OVC Players to Watch
Amanda DaSilva – 5th year, MF – Eastern Illinois
DaSilva enters his third year as a member of the EIU team and will serve as the senior player in EIU’s midfield having started 16 of 17 matches last season. She was one of five position players to log more than 1,200 minutes on the field last season.
Sam Blazek, Sr., GK – Lindenwood
Blazek is back this year after missing half of last season due to injury. She was a first team all-conference goalie in 2020 after posting four shutouts and ranked top 15 in the country in total minutes played and save percentage.
Natalee Geren, 5th year, D – Little Rock
Geren is entering her fifth season at Little Rock where she has helped the Trojan defense record 32 shutouts over her four seasons. She has played over 5,600 minutes in her career, starting 50 of her 53 matches played. She is on pace to break into the program’s top 10 in number of games started.
Michelle Jerantowski, Sr., GK- Morehead State
Last season, Jerantowski started in all 18 matches, logging 1,615 minutes in goal. She made 76 saves while allowing 21 goals for a save percentage of 1.17, and finished the season tied for 5th in most shutouts in a season in program history with five.
Elizabeth Rater, So., MF – Southeast Missouri
Rater, a 2021 OVC Second-Team and All-Newcomer Team Selection, led Southeast Missouri offensively in 2021 with three goals and was second on the team with six points (3g). In conference play, she paced the Redhawks with two goals and four points in eight games.
Lily SchneidersJr., F – SIUE
Schnieders was a first team All-OVC selection last year. She was second in the league with 19 total points and 1.06 points per game. She also led the conference with 48 total shots in 2021.
Maya Etienne, Sr., GK – Southern Indiana
Etienne set the USI career record for shutouts with 29 after recording eight last season. She led the team with a 0.81 goals-against average in 16 starts and 1453 minutes of action. She made 54 saves and posted a 10-5-1 record in 2021.
Chloe Smith, Sr., F – Tennessee Tech
Smith, an All-OVC First Team selection last year, finished sixth in the OVC in points with 11 while tying for seventh in goals with four. She also ranked sixth with four assists. Smith finished third in the league with 30 total shots and led the conference with 2.86 shots per game.
Maria Castaldo, Sr., D – UT Martin
Castaldo started all 18 games and tallied a pair of assists last season. She also recorded 10 shots, seven of which were on goal. She was part of a defense that surrendered a conference-low 16 goals.
2022 OVC WOMEN’S SOCCER PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
(As selected by the OVC Women’s Head Soccer Coaches and Communication Directors)
1. SIUE (11 first-place votes) – 123
2. UT Martin (Seven first-place votes)- 119
3. Tennessee Tech – 96
4. Little Rock – 72
5. Southeast Missouri – 71
6. Morehead State – 58
7. Eastern Illinois – 51
8. Southern Indiana – 42
9. Lindenwood – 16