Mustangs advance to GSAC Semifinals after PK shootout

Entering Saturday's Golden State Athletic Conference Tournament Opening Round matchup against fifth-seeded William Jessup, fourth-seeded TMU Women's Soccer had lost all three games this season in which it fell behind in.
 
The Mustangs picked a good time to reverse that trend.
 
After conceding a goal to the visiting Warriors just five minutes in, Master's scored a late equalizer in the second half before prevailing in a penalty-kick shootout to advance to the GSAC Tournament semifinals.
 
"I'm so proud of the girls for grinding it out and advancing to the next round," Master's Head Coach Curtis Lewis said. "We were able to make some changes at halftime and credit the team for going out and executing the new game plan."
 
William Jessup, making its first-ever postseason appearance as members of the GSAC, looked like playoff veterans early on with its quick goal to start the game. They maintained that lead for the large majority of the contest, holding the Mustangs without a shot in the opening half.
 
"Credit William Jessup for coming out and really pressing us from the start," Lewis said. "To score early and then to keep us from even posting a shot was really good from them. That is the first time in 15 years a team of mine hasn't got a shot in a half."
 
TMU was much more dangerous going forward in the second half, pressing the visiting Warriors immediately. Kyndel Borman forced a couple of saves early in the second period, including one off a direct free kick.
 
Then ten minutes later, Emma Hopkins drove in on the left byline and cut it back toward Borman, whose close-range effort was blocked. The ball bounced around in front of the net and almost found Kate Merical at the back post before being cleared away. The Mustangs retained possession immediately, as Seren Tamayo served the ball back into the box toward Merical, who brought it down well and hit the top of the crossbar.
 
As the clock winded down in the second half, TMU sent more numbers forward in search of the equalizing goal, which the Mustangs finally got in the 87th minute.
 
After a Master's free kick was cleared away, goalkeeper Ariana Romero launched a ball forward, which was flicked on by Merical to Borman. The All-GSAC forward then got past her defender on the right side of the box, before picking out Elizabeth Radmilovich at the back post to knock it home with her thigh.
 
"We were much more dangerous in the second half and I think we deserved a goal for all the effort we put going forward," Lewis said.
 
With the game headed to overtime, the Warriors had a dangerous chance to win the game just over a minute into the first extra period, but their shot went wide right. Borman then forced yet another save out of the opposing goalkeeper later in the first overtime.
 
Neither team had a clear-cut chance to score in the second overtime, with penalty kicks needed to separate the two sides.
 
The penalty shootout was goalkeeper Romero's time to shine, as she proved to be the hero for TMU, saving two penalty kicks and converting her own. Master's won the shootout after four rounds of takers, 3-1.
 
"I wish we could have ended it in regulation but then we wouldn't have seen the amazing goalkeeping of Ari," Lewis said. "Wow, just wow. She is a next-level keeper."
 
Jessup shot first, with Romero making her first save. After Master's shot high, WJU converted their second PK before Emma Hopkins answered from the spot to level the shootout.
 
The Warriors' next taker shot high, allowing Romero to put the Mustangs ahead 2-1 after three rounds. Romero came up with another save, setting up the stage for Radmilovich to seal the deal and send TMU to the conference semifinals.
 
In the semifinals, Master's (9-3-4 overall, 5-3 GSAC) will take on the top-seeded and No. 17 Westmont College in Santa Barbara at 1:30 p.m. The two teams played to a closely-contested 2-1 game in favor of Westmont back on Oct. 16.
 
The winner of Thursday's semifinal will advance to Saturday's championship game at 1 p.m.