Shootout Ends Mountaineers' Season

Friday, November 16

Morgantown, W.Va.

6:00 p.m.

West Virginia University

15-4-4, 7-2

Wake Forest

9-8-2, 4-6

OT 3

OT 4

Wake Forest

West Virginia

Photo by: Jennifer Shephard

November 16, 2018 10:26 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Box Score Season Stats WVU Postgame Media Wake Forest Postgame Media Photos

By: Shannon Wolfgang

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – An equalizer in the 89th minute was spoiled by a cruel turn of events in a penalty kick shootout, as the No. 8-ranked and second-seeded West Virginia University women's soccer team bowed out of the NCAA Tournament this evening, drawing Wake Forest 2-2 (2OT) before falling 5-6 in a penalty kick shootout.

With the draw, the 2018 Big 12 Soccer champion Mountaineers end the year at 15-4-4 (7-2).

Needing a goal late to push the match to overtime, WVU found its equalizer with 1:25 remaining in the regulation. A ball from senior defender Bianca St. Georges was centered for senior midfielder Nadya Gill. She turned high of the box before slotting the ball to senior forward Sh'Nia Gordon, who beat Demon Deacon goalkeeper Nonie Frishette to the near-right post before burying her team-best ninth goal of the season.

Twenty minutes of overtime didn't spark a golden goal, and the teams lined up for a penalty kick shootout.

St. Georges made the first attempt for WVU, which was answered by a make from Bayley Feist. Frishette stopped an attempt by sophomore midfielder Stefany Ferrer-vanGinkel in the second round, and Wake Forest moved ahead 2-1 off a make from Estelle Laurier.

Senior defender Easther Mayi Kith responded with a make in the third round, and Oliwia Wos answered. In the fourth round, freshman defender Jordan Brewster's make was matched by a stop from junior goalkeeper Rylee Foster, evening the line at 3-3.

The teams each earned a make in the fifth round, with freshman forward Lizzie Mayfield and Ryanne Brown finding the back of the net. Freshman midfielder Mara Rodriguez tallied WVU's fifth make, and Madison Hammond answered for the Demon Deacons.

Frishette stopped Gill's attempt in the seventh round and pushed Wake Forest into the tournament's third round, as Hulda Arnarsdottir's make gave the ultimate advantage to the Demon Deacons.

"This was a hard-fought match tonight. I want to give Wake Forest a lot of credit – they are an incredible team, and I want to congratulate them on advancing," Mountaineer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown said. "I'm very proud of my team and how we battled back from being a goal down. We kept battling back, but unfortunately, a team like Wake can capitalize on our mistakes, and we made mistakes on two corner kicks.

"We had opportunities to finish a few other ones, and unfortunately we weren't able to tonight."

The Mountaineers finished the match with a 15-10 shot advantage and forced the Demon Deacons (9-8-2, 4-6 ACC) into four saves, two credited to Frishette. Foster made three stops for the Mountaineers, who allowed two opponent goals for just the second time this year.

Sophomore forward Lauren Segalla and Brown each finished with a game-high four shots.

WVU finished with a 13-4 edge in corner kicks.

"It's tough. I told the team this wasn't our defining moment, losing in PKs," Izzo-Brown added. "We played great soccer tonight – we did. Unfortunately, we just didn't find the back of the net in regulation.

"I've had the great opportunity to work with some incredible seniors, and they've taken me on an incredible journey all year long. This team has been a great team to coach and be a part of."

Wake Forest jumped out to an early lead in the 30th minute, as Abby McNamara connected on a corner kick from Kate Ravenna at the near post.

A pressing WVU side found the first of two equalizers in the 41st minute. A Wake Forest penalty gave the Mountaineers a free kick inches above the 18-yard box. Her straight-on ball sailed through the Demon Deacon wall toward the near post for her second goal of the season.

Wake found the lead again in the 77th minute off a series of looks. With the ball, Brown pushed into the box, where she was met by Foster, who hit the deck and blocked her first shot away. Brown pounced on the rebound and sent a second attempt toward the net, but it was blocked out of play. The ensuing corner kick was defended by the Mountaineers, but the Demon Deacons earned a second chance, and WVU did not have an answer, as Feist's header beat Foster to the near post.

The Mountaineers earned a brilliant chance in the first overtime. St. Georges found freshman midfielder Addison Clark off a deep free kick in the 95th minute. Clark swiftly met the ball in the air and headed it toward the far-right post, where a Wake Forest defender kicked it away. The Mountaineers' ensuing corner kick did not provide a chance.

Senior forward Hannah Abraham earned the Mountaineers' first quality look of the night, heading the ball near the penalty line in the 16th minute, but defender Madison Hammond stood tall at the far-left post for the team save.

Segalla followed with a curving attempt wide of the box in the 25th minute, but again Frishette was at the line for the catching save.

With the draw, WVU continues to trail Wake Forest in the all-time series, 0-2-1. The Mountaineers move to 21-17-5 in all-time NCAA Tournament play.

Tonight was the final collegiate match for nine Mountaineer seniors: Grace Cutler, Patricia Fernandez, Vanessa Flores, Amanda Saymon, Abraham, Gill, Gordon, Mayi Kith and St. Georges. The class finished with a four-year record of 73-13-10 and made four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, previously advancing to the quarterfinals (2015), College Cup Final (2016) and third round (2017).