COMMERCE, Texas – The Angelo State women's soccer team used a late comeback against Texas Woman's to force penalty kicks and advanced by a score of 4-3. ASU will face Texas A&M-Commerce on Friday at 7:30 p.m. in the semifinals of the LSC Tournament Championship.
After a pair of scoreless overtimes, the Belles (11-6-2) and Pioneers (9-8-2) moved to a penalty shootout to decide who would advance to the semifinals of the LSC Championship.
"It was a roller coaster of a match," Angelo State head soccer coach Travis McCorkle said. "I wasn't pleased with giving up the first goal but I told our team at half that we could come back. The second goal provided a gut check for us and we responded. We never doubted our ability to comeback and it showed."
Texas Woman's would open up the shoot out with the first shot going high over the net. Cynthia Andrew's ensuing shot was saved by TWU. Ashley Exford, Demi Tsambasis and Eryn Harrington each scored on their shots to match TWU's goals. On the final scheduled shot, TWU sent the shot wide and Analise Watson stepped to the penalty area. The sophomore calmly put the ball into the right side of the net to advance the Belles to the semifinals.
Angelo State pushed the pressure after finding itself down 2-0. The pressure paid off in the 74th minute. Demi Tsambasis used her speed to go after a free ball and TWU's goalkeeper Samantha Jimenez committed a foul in the box. Treneady Scott stepped up to take the penalty shot and buried it into the back of the net to trim the lead to 2-1. It is Scott's fourth goal of the season.
"It shows a lot of confidence in the fact that Treneday stepped up to take the PK," McCorkle said. "I knew she could hit the shot and she had the trust of her teammates and was able to bury it for the goal."
It looked like the Belles were going to tie it in the 84th minute. Tsambasis faked to the right and sent a shot towards the upper corner of the net with her left foot. The ball bounced off the cross bar but the shots wouldn't stop and the equalizer came a few minutes later.
Lauren Perry was in traffic at the top of the penalty area and tried to advance the ball. With two defenders on her, the senior sent it back to Cynthia Andrews and the senior sent it inside of the TWU goalkeeper to tie the match. It is Andrews third goal of the season andÂ
"I told the team after the match that the sign of a special team is one that can come back from being down 2-0," McCorkle said. "It is the first time I can remember that it has happened at ASU and I'm extremely proud of the effort."
The Belles had to dig deep in the second half being down 2-0. TWU's Gaby Larson scored an early goal in the sixth minute of the first half and extended the lead to 2-0 in the 61st minute.
ASU limited Texas Woman's to only four shots on the night but all four were on goal. The Belles recorded 24 with 11 on goal.
Tsambasis led all players eight shots with three on goal while Scott was credited with five shots and three on goal. Kathleen Keoughan recorded three shots. Elizabeth Rodriguez and Morgan Sibson tallied two shots and Shay Williams, Harrington, Watson and Andrews each had one.
The Belles advance to face Texas A&M-Commerce at 7:30 p.m. on Friday night. The two teams split the season series with each winning on the road.
