CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Allison Abendschein scored in the 77^th minute to give Houston Baptist a 2-1 victory over reigning Southland Conference Tournament champion Southeastern Louisiana in the opening round of the 2016 tournament Wednesday night at Jack Dugan Soccer Stadium.
 
    In a replay of the Huskies' 2-1 regular season win in Hammond, fifth-seeded Southeastern (7-11-2) jumped out to an early lead before No. 4 HBU (8-10-1) rallied. It was the fourth time in seven minutes between the teams the Huskies won by a 2-1 score.
 
    "It was a tough game," Southeastern interim head coach Matt Muia said. "Again, we scored on them early, but they found a way to come back and win so we have to take our hats off to them and the way they played. They played a great game and were just the better team tonight."
 
    Houston Baptist advances to play the top seed, Central Arkansas, in the semifinals Friday night. No. 6 McNeese, which upset third-seeded Northwestern State 1-0, in an earlier match on Wednesday, will take on No. 2 Stephen F. Austin in the other semifinal at 4 p.m. Friday. The semifinal winners will meet for the championship Sunday at 1:05 p.m. with the winner garnering an automatic NCAA bid.
 
    Freshman Amber Marinero gave the Lady Lions the early lead with her second goal of the season. Junior Lauren Babcock contributed her fifth assist. Senior Hope Sabadash made five saves to move into fourth place on the Southeastern all-time season list with a career-best 122.
 
    Senior Amber Lasher also made her mark in the Lady Lions' record book by appearing in her school-record 82^nd match, breaking a tie with Cheyenne Maxwell (2012-15).
 
    Abendschein's game-winner was her team-high seventh of the season. Ellee Hall tied it with her fifth goal. Sabriah Spencer recorded her fifth assist while Alessia Dal Monte had her first. Alanis Guevara had three saves.
 
    Autumn Wildung sent a shot wide right for HBU after winning a scramble in the box in the 60^th minute. Southeastern Junior Maddie Kresevic received a free kick in the box but sent in wide left in the 69^th minute. HBU's Morgan Dean and Southeastern freshman Linda Karlsson had attempts blocked before Sabadash went low to snare a shot in the box by Abendschein in the 75^th minute. Kristi O'Brien missed high for the Huskies a minute later.
 
    Abendschein broke the 1-1 stalemate in the 77^th minute, heading in a corner from Dal Monte from the top of the six-yard box.
 
    Southeastern had opportunities in the final 13 minutes as sophomore Vanessa Arzaluz had a shot blocked in the 78^th minute. Kresevic then hit the crossbar in the 82^nd minute. After Kresevic missed high, Guevara saved an attempt by senior Marisa Rodrigues in the 85^th minute.   
 
    "We had a lot of chances and created a lot," Muia said. "We really kind of settled in there in the second half and started to control the game. They were able to finish one of our opportunities and we didn't finish one of ours and that was the difference tonight."
 
    After Guevara saved a shot by freshman Ylva Svendsen and Lasher and Kresevic had shots blocked, Marinero headed in a corner from Babcock at the top of the box to give the Lady Lions a 1-0 in the 15^th minute.
 
    HBU tied it at 1 in the 21^st minute as Spencer played in a ball to Hall who finished it from the penalty spot.
 
    Sabadash and Guevara each came up with saves while Svendsen and Abendschein had shots blocked in the final 16 minutes of the half.
 
    "We overcame a lot this year and I'm just so proud of the girls and just thankful I was a part of the season we had this year," Muia said. "The record may not reflect it and there are no championships but we overcame so much and came together and it was still special for all of us to be a part of it."