LAKELAND, Fla.—Despite battling back from a 2-0 deficit in the 55
th minute, the Southeastern women's soccer season came to a close with Bethel advancing on penalty kicks 5-4 after a 3-3 draw.
Bethel (11-3-3) advances to the Round of 16 in Foley, Ala. and will play Spring Arbor on November 28
th. The Wildcats took a 1-0 lead into halftime with a goal with 13 seconds remaining in the half by Natasha Dudley catching up to a pass down the middle of the field and sending it into the back of the net. It was just the second shot of the first half by Bethel.
In the 55
th minute, Bethel took a 2-0 lead after a goal by Kelly Nunes on a corner kick by Kalina Stanisic.
The Fire (11-5-3) got on the board in the 70
th minute of the game when Rebecca LaFace drove a free kick into the box and was headed into the back of the net by
Madelyn Davidson for her 11
th goal of the season.
Just 68 seconds later,
Ariadna Lozano was taken down in the box resulting in a penalty kick which was converted by LaFace to tie the match with 19:08 to play.
During the first 10-minute overtime session, the Wildcats took a 3-2 lead on Audrey LaRue's left-footed curling shot from the near post with 1:50 left for her 11
th of the season.
Southeastern was able to answer in the second overtime when
Katie Carnes took advantage of a deflection by
Naira Lopez during a goal kick with 6:17 left to send the game to a shootout.
Dudley took over in goal due to an injury with 13 minutes remaining in regulation and made a save for Bethel in the fifth round of the shootout to win it.
Southeastern finished the match with a 16-7 edge in shot with two hitting the crossbar, and had a 6-5 edge in corner kicks.
Micaela Owen made three saves in net.
