Sunday, October 29, 2006

COLUMBUS STATE WOMEN'S SOCCER WINS PBC TITLE IN SHOOTOUT



Photo Caption: Columbus State wins 2006 Peach Belt Conference Women's Soccer Tournament
Courtesy of the Peach Belt Conference


Columbus, GA - It took 110 minutes of play and eight extra kicks before the 2006 Peach Belt Conference Women's Soccer Tournament title was decided here Sunday. Columbus State and Armstrong Atlantic State battled to a 1-1 tie after two overtime periods before Columbus State won the title in a penalty kick shootout. CSU converted four of its attempts in the shootout while AASU made good on only two.

AASU (18-3-1) came out in the first half and took the game to the top-seeded Lady Cougars, basically beating CSU at its own game. The Pirates dominated in shots, getting off 12 in the half to just six for CSU and forced most of the action to take place on their offensive end.

Jamie Craine tallied the first goal of the game firing a shot inside the left post and past a diving Monica Sanchez for a 1-0 lead. The goal came in the 24th minute of play. Sanchez would record five saves during the remainder of the half, helping to keep her team in the game.

Krystin Mills, the lone senior for CSU, got the equalizer for the Lady Cougars at the 38-minute mark. She took a feed from Gina Goforth which had caromed off a defender and hammered it off the lower body of Pirate keeper Tarra Kohler and into the left side of the net to make it 1-1. Kohler finished the first half with two saves.

CSU took command of the pace of play in the second half and quickly erased the deficit in shots, peppering Kohler and the AASU defense with shots. The Lady Cougars had several opportunities to score, even having three shots hit the post. CSU posted 10 shots in the second half and Kohler came up with two more saves to preserve the tie. Sanchez was also equal to the task, collecting two saves in regulation and two more in the first overtime.

CSU got off three shots in overtime, one of which hit the post off the foot of Goforth, while AASU took a pair of shots. Each team had a shot in the second extra frame.

AASU won the toss and kicked first in the shootout. CSU coach Jay Entlich inserted freshman Kelly Nimmo in goal for the shootout and she was beaten on the first shot by Shana Neves. Kellie Myles then tied the score with the first CSU shot. Craine was next up for AASU and Nimmo came up big for CSU, stuffing the shot with a diving save. Lindsey Morgan then gave CSU a 2-1 advantage with her kick.

Jessica Chipple's shot then struck the crossbar for AASU, and CSU was able to take a 3-1 advantage as Goforth made her shot for the Lady Cougars. Ashley Elam pulled the Pirates to within one as she converted her shot, but Sarah Hawkins ended it with a low shot past Kohler into the right side of the net for the win.

Goforth was named the PBC Tournament MVP for CSU as she scored a goal and had two assists in the two games. CSU placed four players on the All-Tournament squad in addition to Goforth, while AASU placed three players on the squad. *(See full listing of All-Tournament team below)*Both squads will now await word on possible berths into the NCAA Southeast Regional next week.

Carson-Newman won the South Atlantic Conference tournament on Sunday and appears in the driver's seat with the other three spots to be determined by the region committee on Monday.

2006 PBC All-Tournament Team

Ali Caton - GC & SU

Melanie Cobb - UNC Pembroke

Kelly Curran - North Georgia

Annie Whitley - USC Aiken

Santana DeFreitas - USC Upstate

Jamie Young - USC Upstate

Loretta Ashu - Clayton State

Lairin King - Clayton State

Lyndsi Stricklen - Armstrong Atlantic State

Jamie Craine - Armstrong Atlantic State

Ginny Child - Armstrong Atlantic State

Hillary Holder - Columbus State

Megan Honig - Columbus State

Kellie Myles - Columbus State

Gina Goforth (MVP) - Columbus State

Source: Columbus State University Sports Information and Peach Belt Conference

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