The Emory University women's soccer team lived to see another day, knocking off No. 12 ranked Mary Hardin-Baylor in penalty kicks Saturday night in the opening round of the NCAA tournament.
For the second time in their last three NCAA games, the Eagles went to PKs to decide a winner and once again came out on top. Following 110 minutes of game action and the score knotted at 2-2, Emory and UMHB headed to the dramatic finish to decide a spot in Sunday's round of 32 match.
Graduate student Sylvie Prepetit was the first to step to the penalty spot for the Eagles and came through with a successful attempt. Sophomore Sophia Garcia then delivered a huge diving, forearm save to put pressure back on the Crusaders. Sophomore Michelle Davidson connected for the Eagles' second successful attempt before UMHB's Gabby Gibson missed wide right.
In the third round, senior Kylie Hall was stopped by the Cru keeper, however Mackenzie Worthy could not convert on her try as well, sailing a shot high and over the crossbar. With the score 2-0 in favor of Emory, senior Grace Reyer calmly made her way to the spot and sent Emory to the next round with the clinching make.
The Eagles will now move on to the round of 32 for the fourth time in five seasons and await Hardin-Simmons for a chance to reach to the Sweet 16.
Regulation saw four goals combined from both sides, including three within the opening 45 minutes of action. The Cru were the first to strike with Worthy scoring her 12th goal of the season in the 29th minute.
Emory responded though with two goals over the following nine minutes to head into the halftime break leading by a 2-1 count. Freshman Emily Woodall evened the game with her seventh marker at 33:36 prior to Reyer notching a penalty kick goal at 37:44, foreshadowing what would come almost 90 minutes later.
An own goal in the early stages of the second half saw UMHB bring the game even at 2-2. The Eagles would muster six shots over the final 40 minutes of regulation, with just two being on frame.
In overtime, UMHB led 6-5 in total shots and put four on target. The defining moment of the extra periods came in just one minute into the first overtime session when the Eagles made three saves within the span of 20 seconds. Garcia made back-to-back stops before junior Claudia Schmidt got in the way of Natalie Mason offering that looked destined for the back of the net.
For the contest, Emory outshot UMHB 20-19 while the Crusaders held a 9-6 edge in shots on goal. Garcia finished with six saves to her credit, with none looming larger than her two stops in overtime.
The Eagles will return to the pitch at 7:30 ET Sunday night in Belton, Texas.