Thursday, August 15, 6 p.m.
Omaha, Neb./Caniglia Field

SIUE Cougars (2023 Statistics)
(5-6-6, 3-2-4 Ohio Valley)
Head Coach: Derek Burton
Goals P/G:     1.06
Goals Allowed P/G:     1.41
Shots/Opponent Shots    195/165
Shots Per Game/Opponent    11.5/9.7
Shots Percentage/Opponent    .092/.145
Shots On Goal/Opponent    90-195/91-165
Shots On Goal Perc./Opponent    .462/.552
Goals Leaders:     Sidney Christopher (4)
Assists Leader:     Matea Diekema/Taryn Moore (3)
Shots Leader:     Matea Diekema (26)

Omaha Mavericks (2023 Statistics)
(7-5-7, 3-2-4 Ohio Valley)
Head Coach: Tim Walters
Goals P/G:     1.53
Goals Allowed P/G:     1.00
Shots/Opponent Shots    193/221
Shots Per Game/Opponent    10.2/11.6
Shots Percentage/Opponent    . .150/.086
Shots On Goal/Opponent    83-193/100-221
Shots On Goal Perc./Opponent    .430/.452
Goals Leaders:     Sopha Green (10)
Assists Leader:     Three Tied (5)
Shots Leader:     Sophia Green (57)

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: Omaha leads 2-0
Home Record: 0-1
Away Record: 0-0
Last Meeting: L 3-0 at Joplin, Mo. (8/26/2000)

• This is the first meeting of the Division I era with SIUE and Omaha. The last time these teams met was in a tournament in Joplin, Missouri, on Aug. 26, 2000. SIUE has never played at Omaha.
• The Cougars have a difficult nonconference schedule with much of it on the road. The only nonconference home contests are Aug. 22 against Chicago State and Sept. 15 against Indiana State. SIUE has nonconference road trips at Missouri State, Purdue Fort Wayne, and SIU Carbondale. SIUE plays Saint Louis Sept. 8 at CITYPARK, the home of St. Louis City SC.
• Defender Matea Diekema is the Ohio Valley Conference's two-time Defender of the Year. Diekema, who led the team in shots last season with 26, loaded up on postseason accolades, including first team Academic All-America, All-South Region, OVC Scholar-Athlete Award and Scholar All-American.
• Sidney Christopher is SIUE's leading scorer returning. She scored four goals and added two assists last season.
• The Cougars won back-to-back-to-back OVC Championships titles from 2020 to 2022. SIUE had its streak of four consecutive appearances in the OVC title game snapped when the team was eliminated on penalty kicks by Southeast Missouri.
• Sidney Christopher is the team's leading scorer with three goals and two assists.
• OVC postseason honors for the Cougars included first team for Diekema, second team for Christopher and Taylor Babb on the All-Newcomer team.
• Thirteen different players scored a goal last season with the first 11 of the season being scored by 11 different players. Ten different players had 10 shots or more shots last season.
• Abby Haskell is the lone SIUE goalkeeper with minutes played in college. She played 28 minutes last season against Saint Louis.
• SIUE outshot its opponents in nine of the last 10 matches.
• SIUE led the OVC last season in corner kicks per game (5.57).
• Head Coach Derek Burton is in his 17th season as the Cougars' head coach and started the season with a career record of 125-118-42. 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.
• SIUE has seven newcomers on the 2024 roster (Tavey Duncan, MaryClaire Imig, Ava Lewis, Emma Czech, Ava Talley, Bella Jackson, and Kira Kumada).