DANVILLE, Ky. - The Hendrix College women's soccer team saw their season end in heartbreaking fashion, dropping a 2-1 match to Sewanee - The University of the South in double overtime. The Tigers scored the game-winning goal in the 106th minute to advance to the semifinal round of the Southern Athletic Association Tournament.
Jordan Rausch finished with nine saves on the day but took the loss in net for the Warriors. Nikki Johnston earned the win for the Tigers, making five saves.
The sixth-seeded Warriors fell behind the third-seeded Tigers in the early going, allowing a goal in the 18th minute of play. Mary Frank found Kiley Ezzell for the score that put Sewanee up 1-0. The Warriors were outshot 5-3 in the first half, but all three of the Hendrix attempts were on net, forcing Johnston to make tough saves. The Orange and Black went into the halftime break still trailing by a goal.
On the brink of elimination, the Warriors turned to their leading scorer to draw the game back to even. With under 10 minutes remaining in the game,
Samantha Lallas netted the equalizer off an assist from freshman
Lucy Moore, tying the game at 1-1 in the 83rd minute of play.
With her 18th goal of the season, Lallas set a new program record for points in a single season. With 43 points on the year, Lallas breaks a record set in 1999 and tied in 2000 by Stephanie Benning. Hendrix and Sewanee traded opportunities in the final eight minutes of play, but neither team could net the game-winner before time expired in regulation. With the score knotted at 1-1, the quarterfinal match was forced into overtime.
In the first overtime period, Sewanee earned the only scoring opportunities ripping a pair of shots, but neither found the frame. In the second overtime period, Hendrix nearly scored on their only corner kick, but was left vulnerable to a counter-attack after the play. On the counter, Sewanee drew a foul inside the box to earn a penalty kick in the 106th minute. The Tigers' Jamie Samociuk stepped up and placed the ball in the bottom left corner to send Sewanee past Hendrix and through to the semifinal round.
Sewanee improves to 13-5-0 on the season and will advance to face Rhodes College in the SAA Semifinals on Saturday. This was the last time out in a Warrior uniform for graduating seniors defender
Kacey Hight, midfielder
Emma Paul, and midfielder
Laurie Waters.
The Warriors' season ends with a record of 8-9-1.     Â