Box Score Box Score

Championship Central

SAN MARCOS, Texas – University of South Alabama women's soccer equalized Arkansas State's early goal and won, 6-5, in penalty kicks after two overtimes on Friday in Sun Belt Conference semifinal play, earning a shot at the postseason title versus Western Kentucky on Sunday.
 
After a convincing 2-0 defeat of Georgia State on Wednesday in the quarterfinals, USA (13-5-3, 5-2-1 SBC) was forced to answer in the early going on Friday versus the Red Wolves when Ashley Jackson laid off an indirect free kick six yards out for Samhia Simao to score.
 
SBC Offensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year Lauren Allison pushed the Jaguars level, however, less than 15 minutes later, finishing off Nini Rabsatt-Smith's blocked effort to make it a 1-1 contest.
 
The teams traded chances for another 90 minutes, but to no avail, thus forcing chances from the spot, a situation USA had not been in all year. Both clubs connected on four of their first five shots, which prompted the sudden-death format.
 
Jordan Duncan put South Alabama ahead, 5-4, on the first sudden death attempt, but ASU's Alex Furr slotted her attempt to knot scoring. After Shawn Meach converted her chance, USA senior goal keeper Melissa Drish, now the program's leader in career saves, denied Jenna Duerst to send the Jaguars to their first SBC Championship final since the year 2005.
 
"I told the girls when I first met the here that they would play for a championship," said USA first-year head coach Graham Winkworth. "This was an emotional game which changed momentum from our side to theirs early on, and we needed to finish some chances, but credit to our girls for their passion to grind out a win."
 
USA will play Western Kentucky at 1 p.m. on Sunday. The match can be watched live on www.sunbeltsports.org. The web stream for the entire tournament is provided at no charge.
 
 
Match: USA (13-5-3, 5-2-1 SBC) vs. Arkansas State (10-7-3, 4-4-0 SBC)
Date: November 8, 2013
Competition: Postseason, Sun Belt Conference Championship Semifinals (Match 5)
Venue: Bobcat Soccer Complex (San Marcos, Texas)
Kickoff: 4 p.m.
Attendance: 
Weather: 64 degrees, partly sunny, winds 13
Scoring Summary:   1   2   OT   OT2    SO      F
ASU                             1   0    0       0       0         1
USA                              1   1    0       0       0         1


ASU – Samhia Simao (Ashley Jackson) – 9^th minute
USA – Lauren Allison (Nini Rabsatt-Smith) – 22^nd minute

Starting Lineups:
USA : 13-Melissa Drish (GK); 3-Nikki Shirtcliffe; 4-Emily Farrell; 5-Nini Rabsatt-Smith; 7-Lauren Allison; 10-Clarissa Hernandez; 12-Monique Autmon; 15-Jordan Duncan; 22-Shelby Owen; 23-Morgan Motes; 24-Jess Oram
Head Coach: Graham Winkworth

ASU : 1-Amanda Lee (GK); 2-Mykel Ward; 3-Katie Hosea; 5-Ashley Jackson; 8-Lindsey Johansen; 9-Madison Joyce; 13-Christine Giles; 19-Samhia Simao; 20-Loren Mitchell; 22-Jordan Adams; 25-Christina Fink
Head coach: Tafadzwa Ziyenge

Stats Summary: USA / Arkansas State
Shots: 22 / 18
Saves: 5 / 5
Offsides: 1 / 1
Corner Kicks: 2 / 3
Fouls:  /

Misconduct Summary:
YC-USA #13 (27:14); YC-ASU #19 (31:23); YC-USA #4 (34:24); YC-ASU #2 (76:47); YC-USA #TM (80:06)
 
Officials: 
Head Referee: Luis Guardia
Assistant Referee 1: Luis Martinez
Assistant Referee 2: Kyle Borne
Alternate Official: Tom Smith
 
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).