Spartans Advance to Final Four on Penalty Kicks

Box score

COLUMBUS, Ga. - The 14th-ranked University of Tampa women's soccer team (18-2-3) advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA II Women's Soccer Championship with a 2-2 tie against Columbus State (20-3-2). Tampa defeated the Cougars 3-1 in a penalty kick shootout to advance to the Final Four for the second consecutive year.

The Spartans got on the board early when Marissa Bernard scored her eighth goal of the season in the seventh minute to give Tampa the 1-0 lead. The assist was credited to Emily Stack, her second of the season. Columbus State evened the score at one in the 37th minute when Megan Honig found the back of the net off a cross from Lindsay Morgan.

Kassy Boivin put the Cougars up 2-1 in the 54th minute, taking a pass from Hillary Holder and edging it across the goal line for her eighth of the season. Tampa's all-time leader in goals, Shelby Kuni, left her mark on the match in the 80th minute, scoring her 14th of the season and the 53rd of her career to put the Spartans back on terms at 2-2.

The two sides battled it out through the two overtime periods, with neither side able to score the game-winner. With the match still tied at two, a penalty kick shootout ensued to decide which team would move on to the Final Four.

CSU's Kellie Myles converted the first attempt of the shootout, giving the Cougars a 1-0 lead. Courtney Evans then connected on Tampa's second attempt to even the score at one each in the shootout. Megan Tobin and Ashley Flateland converted Tampa's next two attempts to seal the victory for the Spartans, and give Coach Gerry Lucey his second consecutive Final Four appearance.

Tampa will now square off against perennial NCAA participant Grand Valley State for the right to play for the national championship. The match will be played on Nov. 29 in Orange Beach, Ala. Game time will be announced at a later date.