FOLEY, Ala. – Freshman Allison Luckhardt made her Jaguar debut as goalkeeper during spot kicks as the University of South Alabama soccer team advanced to the semifinal round of the Sun Belt Tournament over Little Rock, 4-3 in penalties, at Foley Sports Complex Wednesday afternoon. The game went into penalties after being tied 2-2 after double-overtime.

Junior Brenna McPartlan opened the scoring after junior Morgan Cross evaded a defender and played a pass on the ground that the was slotted into the lower left corner. McPartlan made it a brace after getting to the ball force falling bounces around on a corner kick.

Little Rock tied the game with 3:23 remaining in regulation after a free kick bounced around the Jaguar goal box before Astros Luckas knocked in the tying goal.

Game Facts
- USA opened the scoring in the 17th minute after Cross went around a defender, driving down the end line and with a low cross, McPartlan slotted home into the left lower corner, 1-0.
- Thirty-nine seconds later, Little Rock equalized after Trojan Morgan Smocovich found Mariella Stephens, who fired a shot in from about 25 yards out to tie the contest at 1.
- South reclaimed the lead in the three minutes and thirteen seconds following as junior Tilly Wilkes sent in a corner kick that was bounced around the goal box. After deflecting off a defender, McPartlan pocketed her second goal of the match making it 2-1 in South's favor.
- With chances limited in the second half, each team held possession in but neither could make headway in the final third.
- After a foul by South gave Little Rock a free kick about 10 yards inside the Jaguar half of the field, the free kick was lobbed into the box where after some deflections, Luckas notched the tying goal.
- After offensive flurries were turned away both teams, the game went into overtime.
- During the first overtime, LR got the better of opportunities with four shots, but only a single attempt required a save from Gudmundsdottir.
- South pushed the offense in the second overtime with four shots, but similar to Little Rock only one required a save.
- Luckhardt came in for Gudmundsdottir for the pivotal frame of five spot kicks for each side. While saves are not recorded, Luckhardt's first attempt was successful off a missed shot, and on the final round she made a diving stop.
- Wilkes completed the win by converting the fifth penalty, pushing USA into a 4-3 penalty-kick victory.

Notes
- South has advanced past the quarterfinal round for the seventh year in a row.
- While eliminating Little Rock, this was only the second draw in the series with the Trojans. The previous was a regular season match that ended at 2-2 during the 2009 season. South has since won 10 of 13 matches in the series.
- The last time USA advanced via penalty kicks was against Appalachian State on Nov. 6, 2015. That match was at 2-2 with penalties going to South by a margin of 10-9.
- Although they do not statistically count, McPartlan Gabrielle Gayle Leandra Flury and Tilly Wilkes converted from the penalty spot during the shootout.
- Luckhardt made her collegiate debut coming in for the penalty shootout; she made one save while the first shot she faced went off the crossbar and out of play.
- McPartlan added a brace to her team-leading now seven goals, and the junior is up to 19 points on the year. Both numbers lead the Sun Belt.
- Cross added another assist to her total (5) on the year, and is now tied for the team lead. The junior has a pair of assists in back-to-back games and six points in her last five appearances.
- Freshman Morgan White made her third start in as many games rotating in spots of the midfield throughout her time in the contest.
- After earning player of the week honors in the final week of the season, freshman Kailey Littleford played 104 minutes with two shots, both on goal.

THEY SAID IT
Head Coach Richard Moodie
- On the match: "I mean it was survive and advance. At times we look good and at times we looked bad but it's about getting a win and moving on. The game was back and forth but we were more than prepared. It was on the student-athletes' effort to finish and they did well."

- On switching goal keepers for the shootout: "We have trained all week in penalties because we knew it was a possibility. We made the decision as a coaching staff prior to the game with who we had in mind to take kicks and the order. [Allison] Luckhardt looked better in practice over the week so the decision was easy tonight [to make the switch in goal]. It was not a gamble but it was calculated."

Freshman Allison Luckhardt
- On what she was thinking entering the game for penalties: "Nothing really. It was more doing than thinking. There were nerves but once the shootout got going it was about reactions."

- On making a save on the fifth shot: "I had an idea of where she was going, and I kind of knew which direction I was going. I anticipated the shot direction and made the save."

UP NEXT
USA will face Louisiana in the semifinal round; the contest will be a rematch of the Sept. 6 game that was South's first game of the year. The match will take place Friday at 4 p.m., at Foley Sports Complex in Foley, Ala.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/WeAreSouth_JAGS. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Upper 90 Club, the soccer specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. All gifts to the Upper 90 Club go directly to support the South Alabama soccer program. For more information on how you can join visit: http://jaguarathleticfund.com/upper90