UTSA Edges Stephen F. Austin to Advance to Championship Match
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SAN MARCOS, Texas - UTSA advances to the championship match after winning a penalty kick shootout over Stephen F. Austin. The Roadrunners won the penalty kicks by a 5-4 margin after both teams ended double overtime period tied at one all.
In the first half, UTSA got on the board in the 43rd minute as Jodi Leroy scored her third goal of the season on Stephen F. Austin goalkeeper Lacey Lee.
With time winding down in the first half, Stephen F. Austin's Kim Kimmel scored on UTSA goalkeeper Dacia Webb off a loose ball in the six-yard box. The score came with just one second left on the clock. This marked first team all-conference selection Kimmel's eighth goal of year.
The score remained deadlocked through the second period. In the first and second overtime period neither teamed got on the board.
Penalty kicks followed with UTSA's Layalla da Cruz first up for the Roadrunners followed by Jordan King for the Ladyjacks. Both teams made their opening shots. Scores went back and forth until Laura Sadler missed for Stephen F. Austin on a Webb block. Lee stopped UTSA's Anka Grotle. Both teams then exchanged goals. Stephen F. Austin missed the final shot, propelling UTSA to win.
UTSA advances to face the winner of the Southeastern Louisiana vs. Texas State match at 1 p.m. on Sunday. The championship match will be televised on the Southland Conference Television Network.
Postmatch quotes
UTSA Coach Steve Ballard
"The girls are focused right now. They stayed with a plan and executed. I'm proud of our team."
Dacia Webb
"We have shootouts contests during practice. This time we weren't going to stop. It was a great team effort all around."
Stephen F. Austin Coach Tony Amato
"It was a tough situation out here. There was a lot of pressure on our freshman keeper (Lee). She has to guess which way the ball was going. It was just a tough situation."