FOLEY, Ala. - Sophomore goalkeeper Michaela Mikko made two huge saves during the penalty kick shootout and Maya Zovko's conversion sent No. 3 seed Georgia Southern past No. 6 seed UL Monroe, 1-1 (4-3 PKs), on Wednesday at the 2023 Sun Belt Conference Championships at the Foley Sports Tourism Complex in Foley, Ala.
The Eagles (13-5-1) will now face the winner of No. 2 seed Old Dominion and No. 7 seed Georgia State at 5 p.m. on Friday in the first semifinal match. ULM sees its season come to a close at 9-2-8.
With a stiff wind gusting to 20 miles per hour at their backs, the Warhawks struck first in the contest off of a corner kick. A header by Emelie Kobler hit the crossbar and kicked out to Inge Konst, who finished the rebound in the 13th minute for the early 1-0 lead.
The score would remain 1-0 heading into the break as ULM enjoyed a 12-6 edge in shots.
The Eagles switched sides and the wind at the back helped Georgia Southern tally the equalizer in the 81st minute. A punt by goalkeeper Quinn Wilson went backwards off of an ULM defender, and sophomore Bri Conley ran onto the ball in the box and her diving toepoke rolled in past the Warhawks' keeper for the tying goal, her seventh of the season.
ULM had the best chance in overtime as Wilson saved a shot from Skylar Blaise, and the rebound was put out top by Eve Blakey in the 106th minute. But the score remained tied at 1-1, sending the match to PKs to see who would advance to the semifinals.
Both teams made goalkeeper switches for the shootout as Alexa Castro Vivas came in for ULM and Mikko came in for the Eagles.
ULM shot first in the shootout and Mikko immediately saved the first try by Konst to put the Eagles up. Elis Nemtsov made her first attempt, and after a ULM conversion, Bri Conley missed hers wide left making it 1-1. ULM made its third try, and Isabel Kopp made the third try for the Eagles. Mikko then stopped a shot by Emelie Kobler to put the Eagles back in front, and Ansleigh Crenshaw converted the fourth attempt for GS. ULM's fifth attempt was a make, leaving it on the foot of senior Maya Zovko, who finished upper 90 to advance the Eagles.
It was the first PK shootout won by the Eagles since they won the 2012 SoCon Championship title in a PK shootout over Furman, 5-4.
"We played into a strong wind in the first half, and it was a big challenge," Georgia Southern head women's soccer coach Chris Adams said. "But we stayed in it. We conceded once, which we weren't happy about, but we're gutsy and I knew that we would fight in the second half. Once we got the wind with us, we were able to equalize. I thought we could have put it away in regulation but we just kept fighting and kept making the next play. We haven't gone to penalty kicks in a long time, but we practice them in both our goalkeeper and our shooters. Couldn't be more proud of Michaela Mikko for staying ready throughout the year, making two huge saves, and our kickers for stepping up and tucking their chances."
ULM finished the match with a 20-10 edge in shots. Wilson made seven saves for the Eagles in regulation and the overtime periods, and ULM held a 5-2 edge in corner kicks. Georgia Southern was whistled for 14 fouls and one offsides, while the Warhawks were whistled for eight fouls and a pair of offsides.
