No. 6 Seeded Crusaders Advance on PKs to Upset Texas Lutheran in SCAC Quarterfinals
(Photo Courtesy of Trinity University)
SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The No. 6 Seed University of Dallas women's soccer team advanced in penalty kicks, 4-2, to edge the No. 3 seed Texas Lutheran University on Friday afternoon in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) Quarterfinals hosted at Trinity University.
The Crusaders (3-10-4) led twice in regulation, but were unable to keep the higher-seeded Bulldogs (8-5-4) from scoring the equalizer each occasion.
With neither team able to break through in extra time, the team's each received their fourth draw of the campaign. A shootout was necessary to determine who advanced to Saturday's SCAC Semifinal match.
May Lien Le (Katy, Texas), Mason Cosgrove (Las Cruces, N.M.), and Maddie Rodriguez (San Antonio, Texas) netted successful tries for the lowest seed of the tournament. TLU missed the first PK to go into the early disadvantage. After both sides were off on the fourth attempts, Elisa Duran (Pomona, Calif.) lifted UD to the next round for the first time since 2014.
Lien Le broke through with Dallas' first goal in the 14th minute after being shut out the previous five matches. It was the freshman's third goal of the season. That 1-0 lead stood at intermission.
It took a little less than 10 minutes into the second stanza for the Bulldogs to knot the scoreboard at 1-all, as Bailey Nimtz found the back of the twine at the 54:23 minute mark.
UD's Sydney Stirling (McLean, Va.) came up with a huge goal at the 67:18 mark on an assist from team leader Bekah Gonzalez (Reno, Nev.). It was Stirling's first goal of the season, and Gonzalez's fifth helper.
Nimtz was able to capitalize on a PK in the 82nd minute to level the score.
Dallas was outshot 29-15 overall and 15-9 in shots on goal. TLU took seven more corner kicks 11-4, with a pair coming in double overtime. The Bulldogs outshot UD 6-2 in the extra 20 minutes of play.
In the first overtime, the Bulldogs struck with all four of their shots happening over a six-minute span. Olivia Severson (La Crosse, Wis.) was able to save the third attempt to contain the lead.
Duran had both her shot attempts in overtime blocked, with one per frame. Severson, who finished with a season-best 13 saves, was brilliant in 120 minutes of play. The junior goalkeeper now has eclipsed double-digit save totals five times and in three straight matches. This span includes four-of-five, with a trio of them including being against the Bulldogs.
Stephanie Barrientos made seven saves in 120 minutes for the Bulldogs.
The Crusaders went 1-1-1 over the last three weeks against Texas Lutheran. They advance to their third SCAC Semifinal match since joining the league.
Dallas will move on to play the No. 2 seed Southwestern University, who received a bye. These squads have also met once each of the last two weeks with the Pirates winning both times. The most recent was a 1-0 overtime victory in Georgetown. Kickoff is slated for 1:30 p.m.
SOCIAL MEDIA
#UDCrusaders ADVANCE! What a match today for #UDallasWSOC! Advance to #SCACwsoc semifinals for 1st time since 2014! #WeAreUD #SCACchamps #d3soc pic.twitter.com/M9wCz8Z0UZ
— UDallas Athletics (@UDallasSports) November 3, 2018
SCAC POSTMATCH INTERVIEW WITH COACH STINSON AND SEVERSON