LAKE CHARLES – Southeastern Louisiana freshman goalkeeper Lacey Bockhaus turned away Stephen F. Austin midfielder Amanda Lackey's penalty kick to allow the fifth-seeded Lady Lions to win a penalty kick shootout, 3-2, and move past the No. 4 seed Ladyjacks in the first round of the Southland Conference Tournament Thursday evening at the Ward 3 Recreation Complex.

 

After both teams failed to find the net through 90 minutes of regulation and two 10-minute overtime periods, the match was statistically ruled a tie. However, with a spot in the semifinals at stake, the Lady Lions (11-5-2) and SFA (9-7-2) were forced to decide the match on penalty kicks. Natalie Santana, Nicole Brannigan and Candice Wallace scored for the Lady Lions to allow Southeastern to advance.

 

The Lady Lions will now face top-seeded Texas State at 4:30 p.m. in Friday's semifinal round. Friday's semifinal winners will advance to Sunday's championship match at 1 p.m. The tournament winner receives an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament.

 

The shootout victory was the first in school history for Southeastern, who defeated SFA for the first time since 2003. Southeastern's only previous shootout in school history was a loss to Texas State (then Southwes-st Texas) in the 1999 SLC Tournament final. 2008 will mark the 10th time in school history Southeastern has advanced to the SLC Tournament semifinals.

 

The victory for the Lady Lions in the shootout ended a frustrating match for the Lady Lions, who attempted 23 shots to just 13 for SFA. SFA goalkeeper Courtney Bauder kept Southeastern off the scoreboard with 12 saves in 110 minutes in the net.

 

“We are very proud of our team's effort and our ability to keep fighting,” Southeastern head coach Blake Hornbuckle commented. “We unfortunately could not take advantage of numerous scoring opportunities in regulation and both overtimes. However, we kept battling and got the job done in the shootout.

 

“Our entire back line was tremendous for us tonight and did a great job keeping a very good Stephen F. Austin team off the board,” Hornbuckle added. “Lacey was outstanding and provided an intimidating force in the net during the shootout.”

 

In the shootout, Santana led off for the Lady Lions, and drilled a shot in the upper left hand corner of the net. SFA sent reserve goalkeeper Crystin Pactor to try to tie it, but Pactor's shot sailed high and over the goal.

 

Brannigan was next for the Lady Lions and she put Southeastern up, 2-0, with a shot past Bauder. Kesia Broome followed for the Ladyjacks, but her shot rolled just right of the post.

 

Lady Lion freshman Brittany Flores had a chance to put SFA in a bigger hole, but Bauder made a diving stop. SFA pulled within, 2-1, when Camille Royer drilled a shot past Bockhaus.

 

Jenna Oney was up next for Southeastern, but her shot missed high. SFA's Edwina Forbes took advantage, tying the score with a successful penalty kick.

 

Wallace put the pressure on Stephen F. Austin, hitting a low shot past a diving Bauder. The final showdown came down to Lackey, SFA's first team All-SLC midfielder and Bockhaus, a honorable mention All-SLC selection who has allowed only 12 goals in her first season with the Lady Lions. Lackey tried a low shot, but the athletic Bockhaus made a diving stop to allow Southeastern to advance.

 

In Thursday's other first round matchup, No. 3 UTSA defeated sixth-seeded Northwestern State, 1-0. The Roadrunners will face tournament host and No. 2 seed McNeese State at 7 p.m. in Friday's second semifinal.

 

All of the remaining tournament games will be streamed live on the Southland Conference Athletics website, www.southland.org.

 

SLU – 0 0 0 0 – 0 (11-5-2)

SFA – 0 0 0 0 – 0 (9-7-2)

 

Penalty Kick Shootout Results

SLU: Natalie Santana – Good – SLU, 1-0

SFA: Crystin Pactor – No Good – SLU, 1-0

SLU: Nicole Brannigan – Good – SLU, 2-0

SFA: Kesia Broome – No Good – SLU, 2-0

SLU: Brittany Flores – No Good – SLU, 2-0

SFA: Camile Royer – Good – SLU, 2-1

SLU: Jenna Oney – No Good – SLU, 2-1

SFA: Edwina Forbes – Good – Tied, 2-2

SLU: Candice Wallace – Good – SLU, 3-2

SFA: Amanda Lackey – No Good – SLU wins shootout, 3-2

 

Shots – Southeastern Louisiana 23, Stephen F. Austin 13

Saves – Stephen F. Austin 12, Southeastern Louisiana 2

Corner Kicks – Southeastern Louisiana 7, Stephen F. Austin 3

Fouls – Stephen F. Austin 20, Southeastern Louisiana 11

Offsides – Southeastern Louisiana 3, Stephen F. Austin 1

 

Match 2 – No. 3 UTSA 1, No. 6 Northwestern State 0 ,

 

Match 4 – No. 2 McNeese State vs. UTSA, 7 p.m.

 

Semifinal winners, 1 p.m.