JACKSONVILLE, Ala. — The Southeast Missouri soccer team recorded a 1-1 draw in the quarterfinal round of the 2015 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament on Sunday. Southeast prevailed in a shootout, 3-2, to advance to Friday's semifinal round.
With their fourth tie in a row, Southeast is now 8-5-7 on the season. Jacksonville State ends their season 8-9-2.
"Today's result was a total team effort from start to finish," head coach
Heather Nelson began. "We came out strong and were unfortunate to not create an early goal. As a team we battled through 110 minutes against a quality opponent in an evenly matched game."
The Redhawks advance to face No. 2 Tennessee Tech in the semifinal round at 11 a.m. on Friday in Murray, Kentucky.
This is only the second time Southeast has won a shootout in the OVC Tournament. The last time Southeast went into a shootout in the OVC Tournament was in 2007. The Redhawks clinched the tournament crown with a 5-3 shootout win over Samford.
Jacksonville State got on the board in the 34th-minute on a goal from Courtney Hurt. Katt Dowd crossed in to Hurt who netted the goal just inside the right post.
The Redhawks answered back with determination just three minutes later.
Maddy Cornell scored her first career goal on an assist from
Natasha Minor. Minor passed to Cornell who was stationed in the top right corner of the box. Cornell shot high over the keeper and into the top left side of the net, tying the match at 1-1.
"Our response to JSU scoring the first goal was focused, determined and positive. The combined effort of Tosh and Maddy to find the back of the net for the equalizer was brilliant."
The score would stand through regulation and two overtimes to result in a 1-1 draw.
A shootout began to decide who would advance to the semifinal round in the OVC Tournament.
Southeast had the first shot in the shootout. After a stop by each keeper,
Christina Rohde stepped up and buried one to take a 1-0 lead in the shootout. Claire Peterson answered with a PK goal to tie it up at 1-1.
Jennifer Antonacci gave the Redhawks the lead back, 2-1. After a stop by
Kindra Lierz,
Angie Mann's shot hit off the crossbar for a miss. Mackenzie Bellows tied the shootout at 2-2 with a goal for JSU.
After three straight stops and a miss,
Paige Blankenheim put the Redhawks back up by one, 3-2. Lierz made one final stop to secure the shootout win for the Redhawks.
Nelson added, "When it came to the shootout Kindra was a beast in goal, while Christina, Jenny and Paige had ice in their veins."
Jacksonville narrowly outshot the Redhawks 16-14 in the match. Each team put six shots on goal.
Angie Mann led the Redhawks with four shots in the game. Minor followed with three of her own.
Lierz (7-5-7) played the full 110 minutes in goal and made five saves.
Kelsey Bright and Hurt each had three shots while three other Gamecocks had two shots each.
Caroline Robinson also played the full 110 minutes In goal and made five saves.
No. 5 Morehead State defeated No. 4 UT Martin on Sunday, 4-2. Morehead State advances to play top-seeded Murray State in the other semifinal game on Friday.
