Ninety minutes of regular time and 20 minutes of overtime weren’t enough to decide the MVC semifinal match between Murray State and UIC. That meant only one thing: a penalty shootout.
Senior forward and Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year Mary Hardy put the Racers ahead with a goal in the 31st minute of the first half off an assist from senior forward Sydney Etter. The goal was Hardy’s sixth goal of the season. Etter’s assist was her second of the year.
The second half was back-and-forth with both sides getting crosses inside the penalty box, but neither team was able to find a goal.
That changed in the 86th minute when senior defender and MVC Defensive Player of the Year Megan Wilson was called for a foul on UIC’s Kaysey Castro inside the penalty box. The Flames got an opportunity to tie the watch in the last four minutes of regular time. Castro put her penalty kick past junior goalkeeper Griselda Revelorio to make the score 1-1.
Two 10-minute overtime periods came and went, but the Racers were in full attack mode. They took six shots to UIC’s three, but neither team could get a shot past the goalkeepers.
A penalty kick shootout to determine which team would be the first to advance to the MVC Soccer Championship game. The shootout was tied at 3-3 and Murray State had an opportunity to take the lead. Junior forward/midfielder Sami Wilson attempted to fool the UIC goalkeeper by going straight into the goal, but the keeper was ready and made the save. Murray State needed a save to keep the shootout going. Unfortunately, Revelorio went left and the UIC shot went right.
UIC won the penalty shootout 4-3 to advance to the MVC women’s soccer championship and end the Racers season.
Head coach Matt Lodge, while visibly disappointed, was still pleased with the season his squad had.
“From starting the conference 0-1-3 to being a two seed (and) hosting a semifinal. We finished the year 10-4-5 and that’s a great achievement,” Lodge said. “I’m over the moon for this group.”
Murray State soccer finished the year with a 10-4-5 record and ended MVC play with a record of 5-1-3.
