SPRING ARBOR, Mich. – The No. 5 ranked Spring Arbor University women's soccer team played No. 3 Indiana Wesleyan to a 0-0 draw through double overtime Friday night at the Cougar Soccer Complex. The Wildcats won the penalty shootout 5-4 to advance to the Crossroads League Tournament final.
Spring Arbor goalkeeper
Mia Warner saved Indiana Wesleyan's first three penalties, and
Jessie Postma and
Cadence Williams converted to give the Cougars a 2-0 lead in the shootout. The Wildcats drew even after five rounds.
Isa Martinez and
Ella Peck converted in the sixth and seventh rounds to keep Spring Arbor even before Sydney Couch scored the decisive penalty for Indiana Wesleyan in the eighth round.
The second-seeded Cougars outshot the third-seeded Wildcats 21-10 and put 11 shots on goal. Martinez led Spring Arbor with five shots, three on target. Indiana Wesleyan goalkeeper Avery Sluss made 11 saves, including stops on Martinez and
Tessa Ponstein in the final minutes of the second overtime.
Kailey Walcott and Warner combined for Spring Arbor's fourth straight shutout and 15th of the season. The Cougars are 14-2-3 and unbeaten in their last 10 matches.
Spring Arbor will await a potential at-large berth to the NAIA Women's Soccer National Championship. The field will be announced Friday, Nov. 13.
