Jackrabbits advance in double overtime

Friday, November 6

Fishback Soccer Park

3 p.m.

South Dakota State University

Western Illinois

11/6/2009 7:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer

By: SDSU Sports Info

Kaitlin Justice scored the lone goal of the match with just under three minutes remaining in the second overtime, lifting the South Dakota State University women's soccer team over Western Illinois in the first Summit League semifinal Friday afternoon at Fishback Soccer Park.

With the 1-0 victory, the top-seeded Jackrabbits move on to face second-seeded IUPUI in the championship match at noon Sunday. SDSU, which won for the sixth straight time to improve to 11-6-2 overall, is the defending Summit League champion. The Jackrabbits downed IUPUI, 1-0, in the squads' regular season meeting Oct. 18 in Indianapolis.

"Any time that you can pull out a game in overtime and get a winner like we did, it certainly helps your confidence," SDSU head coach Lang Wedemeyer said.

Western Illinois ended its season with an 8-8-2 mark.

SDSU couldn't capitalize on several scoring chances in the first half, despite out-shooting the Fighting Leathernecks, 11-3. WIU goalkeeper Laura Atkinson made six of her eight saves in the first half.

The Jackrabbits nearly won the match in the first minute of the first overtime, but a shot by Kayla Braffet sailed just over the crossbar.

SDSU ended the deadlock with 2 minutes, 53 seconds remaining in the second overtime as Justice, a junior from Omaha, Neb., took a cross from freshman Christa Nyblom and booted the ball into the center of the net for her team-leading seventh goal of the season.

"We kept putting it in the box the whole time, but we just couldn't finish them," Justice said. "We kept battling and finally we got it. We have done that a lot this season."

The Jackrabbits finished with a 29-9 advantage in shots, including six by Justice and five each by Braffet and Emily Quigley. Sophomore goalkeeper Brie Rogers made three saves for SDSU.

Alison Smyth recorded a team-high two shots for Western Illinois.

"The Summit League is tougher and every year it gets tougher. Wins are hard to come by so we are elated that we have a chance to play for another championship, this time on our home field," Wedemeyer said.

IUPUI 1, North Dakota State 0
All-Summit League performer Megan Hock scored in the first half to lead IUPUI over North Dakota State in Friday evening's semifinal.

Hock took a pass from Summit League Offensive Player of the Year Alicia Brock in the 39^th minute of the match, scoring her 11^th goal of the season. IUPUI improved to 16-4 on the season, while the Bison ended the year at 10-8-2.

NDSU was the aggressor offensively throughout the match, holding a 21-8 advantage in shots, including a 12-3 edge in the second half. However, Jaguar goalkeeper Jamie Farrell made four of her five saves in the second half to preserve the shutout.

Bison goalkeeper Kalani Bertsch recorded two saves.