In the most dramatic game of the season, The Master's women's soccer team defeated the Soka University of America Lions 3-2 on an overtime penalty kick golden goal to win the semifinals of the GSAC Women's Soccer Championship Tournament.
After the teams battled to a 2-2 tie at the end of regulation, the first of a potential two 10-minute overtimes began. Just 2:56 into OT1, TMU's
Jane Hato was fouled inside the 18-yard box, which created a penalty kick.
Kegan Brunnemann started to lineup for the PK when Soka goalkeeper Mackinzie Stenstrom deliberately chest-bumped Brunnemann in an act of intimidation, which drew a yellow card from the referee.
Brunnemann, All-GSAC for the second year in a row, went unfazed from the encounter, drilling the PK into the top-right of the net to lift the Lady Mustangs to the 3-2 win.
Master's will now play Embry-Riddle for the GSAC Championship in Prescott, Ariz. on Wednesday at 4 p.m. PT.
"I thought we did a lot of good stuff and we showed a lot of grit," said TMU Head Coach Esteban Chavez. "To be able to win like that in sudden death says a lot about this team, their chemistry and their belief in each other. They had to sacrifice a lot because we have a small roster so there's not a lot of substitutions. But it is a good sign for us moving forward that we are willing to suffer a little bit for the team."
TMU (14-4-1) controlled the tempo, the possessions and the action throughout the match. The Lady Mustangs finished the game with 34 shots (17 on goal) compared to just eight shots for the Lions.
After the Lions' Sienna Manns scored in the 20th minute of the first half,
Breanna Fajardo tied the game off an assist from
Mia Thompson with just 3:20 to play in the half.
Less than three minutes into the second half, TMU's Hato found the back of the net, also assisted by Thompson, to lift Master's to a 2-1 lead.
Nine minutes later it was Soka's Sienna Gomez, off an assist from Manns, who scored to knot the match at 2-2.
That setup the overtime and Brunnemann's heroics at the end.
Now The Master's will travel to Prescott, Ariz. to play the No. 8-ranked Embry-Riddle Eagles, a team that defeated Hope International 5-1 in the other GSAC semifinal Saturday. The Lady Mustangs only played ERAU once this season, a 2-0 loss at home on Oct. 4 when the Eagles scored their two goals in the first 17 minutes of the game.
"We definitely do not want to have a start like we did last time," Coach Chavez said when asked what it will take to defeat the Eagles. "We were not sharp in the box defending. So if we can clean that up, I think we have a good chance for us to give them a good game and beat them."
