Women's soccer downs Roanoke in shootout for first NCAA win
The Centre women's soccer team picked up its first ever NCAA Tournament victory Saturday, defeating Roanoke College in a shooutout at Emory University in Atlanta, Ga.
The teams played 110 minutes of scoreless soccer, sending the match to penalty kicks. Each team made its first seven before Centre senior goalkeeper Kelli Lenz (Louisville, Ky.) made a save on a shot by Roanoke's Candace Connolly. On the ensuing opportunity, Katie Stevenson (Flat Rock, N.C.) converted the game winner for the Colonels.
Aubrey Holle (Fort Wayne, Ind.), Amy Hebbeler (Fort Wright, Ky.), Brittany Eisner (Louisville, Ky.), Anne Mitchell (Fayetteville, Ark.), Rachel Brannen (Fort Mitchell, Ky.), Kelsey Boling (Louisville, Ky.) and Morgan Collins (Utica, Mich.) also scored in the shootout for Centre.
Centre outshot Roanoke 13-9 for the game, including a 7-2 edge in the overtime periods, where Claiborne Willis (Brentwood, Tenn.) came close to ending it with a shot off the post. Roanoke had a 4-3 edge in corners. Lenz made four saves in posting her 14th shutout of the year while Roanoke's Carolyn Sarabacher made five stops.
The win was the first NCAA Tournament victory for Centre, which had made one prior appearance, falling 1-0 to Denison in 2008. Centre also improves to 15-4-2 on the year, tying a school record for wins in a season. Roanoke finishes at 14-5-1.
Centre will move on to face No. 5 Emory (16-0-2) in the second round Sunday at 5 p.m. Live stats and video are available through Emory's website.
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