KANSAS CITY - - A goal at the end of regulation coupled with an overtime header pushed third-seeded Missouri Southern past the second-seeded Truman women's soccer team 2-1 on Friday afternoon in the MIAA tournament semifinals.
The Bulldogs (11-6-2) took the lead midway through the first half on a goal by senior Megan Buri, as her second of the season found the back of the net in the 24th minute to give Truman a 1-0 lead.
Truman continued to pester the Southern (9-9-1) frame, coming inches away from taking a 2-0 lead multiple times. The most notable chance came in the 63rd minute when a shot by junior Kelsey Twellman hit the crossbar and senior Jaclyn Schumann's follow-up was saved by a Southern defender off the end line.
With just 36 seconds remaining in regulation, Southern's Megan Stueve scored her 7th goal of the season to tie the game at one apiece and send the two teams to overtime for the third time this season. However, unlike the first two, it was MSSU that came away with the game-winner, as Cortney Sanders headed in the back end of a corner kick in the sixth minute of overtime to end the match and send the Lions on to Sunday's MIAA championship match.
The Bulldogs peppered the goal at the beginning of OT as well, forcing three Southern saves within the first five minutes. For the match, Truman outshot the Lions 18-7 overall and 9-5 on net. The Bulldogs also earned seven corner kicks to Southern's three. Twellman led all players with five shots, while both Buri and junior Olivia Hayes added three each.
Senior keeper Jayne Grisham made three saves.
Truman was ranked seventh in the most recent South Central regional poll with the top-six receiving bids next Monday (Nov. 7) for the NCAA tournament.
