The Lady Toppers began their season in good fashion, netting in a win and tie in their first two games of the year.

Western tied Eastern Kentucky on Sunday 1-1. Freshmen forward Kaylyn Pratt scored her first collegiate goal in the game.

Western hosted Ole Miss on Friday and came back to win 2-1 in double overtime. Junior midfielder Kellie Walker scored the winning goal off a free-kick from freshman defender Hayley Marsh. Junior forward Kristin Cocchiarella also scored to tie the game at one in the second half.

“(The winning goal)means a lot to me because it shows I can contribute to the team,” Walker said.

Head coach Jason Neidell said he hopes it shows a lot about his team’s resiliency.

“Anytime you go in OT early in the season it makes you stronger; hopefully it pays dividends,” he said.

The Lady Toppers return all but four of their players from their first regular season Sun Belt Conference championship team. The 2007 SBC player-of-the-year Morgan Thomas returns as the leader for the team in her junior year.

“(Thomas) brings fantastic leadership as she helps organize the defense. She becomes the main vocal leader,” Neidell said.

Helping Thomas with the leadership will be fifth-year senior Alaina Atcher. Atcher played in all 20 matches a year ago and started 15 of them.

Missing from this year’s team is leading scorer, Mallory Outerbridge. She was named to the under-20 Canadian National Team before the season started.

With goalkeeper Meredith Goodson having graduated, a key for this year’s squad will be filling her shoes. Freshmen Libby Stout is the only goalie on this year’s roster.

“She is incredibly talented, but getting her experience is the key,” Neidell said.

Stout says it has been tough for her being the only goalie.

“I wasn’t expecting being the only goalie but I am definitely ready,” she said.

Winning the conference championship will be a hard task for the ladies. Neidell said Denver, North Texas, Middle Tennessee State and Louisiana-Lafayette all bring good teams to the field. Neidell also said his squad will repeat as conference champions if it is “earned and not given.”

Reach Mike Stunson at sports@chherald.com.