(Story Courtesy of Trinity University Sports Information Department)
SAN ANTONIO, Texas - The No. 24 Women's Soccer Team is advancing to the Round of 16 after coming to a draw in two periods of overtime and winning the penalty shootout by a score of 4-3.
During the NCAA Playoffs, the match ends as a tie if neither side can score in either overtime period. Both teams then go to a penalty kick shootout that consists of each team taking five shots to determine a winner. Senior midfielder Kaity Ward scored the only goal for the Tigers in regulation and first-year Maya Ozymy made the final penalty kick to advance the Tigers.
The Rundown
The Tigers controlled the pitch for most of the first half. The Tigers took advantage of a counter attack with Ward feeding junior forward Molly Sheridan who took a few dribbles and fired a shot on frame but the Sagehens goalkeeper stepped up to make a kick save.
Ward also put up another shot a few minutes later but it was just wide of the goal. 11 minutes into the match, senior goalkeeper Lauren Bolish made her first save of the day on a free kick.
A few moments later, Ward fired in the first goal of the day from about 24 yards out to give Trinity a 1-0 lead with just over 25 minutes left in the first half.
First-year midfielder Meredith McAlester took the Tigers last shot of the first half from about 25 yards out and just missed giving the Tigers a 2-0 lead by hitting the crossbar. Trinity held Pomona-Pitzer to four total shots during the first half. Bolish saved all four of the Sagehens shots that were on frame.
In the 66th minute of the match, Sheridan took a contested shot but was unable to get the ball in the net.
The Sagehens scored in the 76th minute of the match. Pomona-Pitzer scored after taking a throw in, Ciannah Correa found the back of the net from about 22 yards out.
Neither side was able to hit the game-winner in regulation.
Senior midfielder Alex Walsh took the first shot in overtime and put it on frame but the Sagehens keeper made the save. The Tigers were the aggressor for most of overtime and worked to two corner kicks. After a great service from sophomore midfielder Kyra Stafford and pass from senior midfielder Camryn Beall, senior midfielder Cece Hendricks put a shot on target that was saved by a Pomona-Pitzer defender.
With just under two minutes left in the first overtime, Ward fired a shot that was just wide of the net. The Sagehens took a shot from distance on a free kick but it was off target.
Ward took the first shot of the second overtime period and put it on goal. After the save, the Sagehens countered and worked to get a coroner where they took a shot that was off target. With just under three minutes left, Ward aimed for the top of the net but the keeper made a great save to deny the Tigers the game-winner. Pomona-Pitzer took one more shot before time expired and the match went to a penalty kick shootout.
Penalty Kicks
Taylor Venenciano of Pomona-Pitzer made the first shot for the Sagehens to give them a 1-0 lead in the shootout. Sophomore defender Ashlyn Zingelmann missed her shot after the Sagehens keeper made the save. Summer Hasama missed her attempt and Hendricks made hers to knot the score up at 1-1. Correa of PPC missed her kick and junior forward Cassie Bowers made hers to give Trinity a 2-1 lead. Spencer Deutz of PPC made her kick and Sheridan responded by making her kick to give the Tigers a 3-2 lead. Genevieve Gray of the Sagehens made her kick which put all the pressure on Ozymy to send the Tigers to the Round of 16. Ozymy buried the kick to give TU the 4-2 win in penalty kicks.
Up Next
The Tigers will wait to see how the remaining round two matches play out and await the NCAA's decision on who and where will be playing.
