Box Score
SEATTLE -- Cal State L.A.'s women's soccer team once again rode its recent success in match-deciding shootouts.
The Golden Eagles battled Seattle University to a 0-0 tie through regulation and two overtime periods and then beat the Redhawks, 4-2, Sunday in the shootout in an NCAA Division II second-round playoff match. Cal State L.A. (13-5-4) now advances to the round of 16, where they will face Seattle Pacific, the top seed in the Far West Region, for the regional championship.
This is the third consecutive 0-0 tie for the Golden Eagles, who fell in a shootout to Chico State in the California Collegiate Athletic Association Championship Game to start the streak and then beat the Wildcats in a first-round NCAA playoff match to continue it. The Golden Eagles were limited to only seven shots on Sunday, but a solid defensive effort once again paid dividends.
The Golden Eagles, the No. 6 seed in the region, are making their first NCAA playoff appearance, but they have reacted like seasoned postseason veterans when it has counted. After both teams missed their initial penalty shots in the shootout, Erika Prado, Megan Stevenson, Amber de Seriere and Liz Franco converted on their tries to send Cal State L.A. to the next round. Seattle University, seeded second in the region and ranked 11th in the nation, concluded its season with a 17-3-1 record.
Cal State L.A. goalkeeper Reyna Coca had another outstanding outing, making five saves and not allowing a Seattle conversion after the third round of the shootout. The Golden Eagles have now recorded a program-record 12 shutouts this season.
The Golden Eagles, who were without injured freshman forward Dana Menard, had their hands full with the Redhawks, who enjoyed an 18-7 advantage in shots. Only five of those attempts, though, were on goal and Coca made all the saves. The Golden Eagles, meanwhile, did not have a shot on goal.
The Redhawks had an 8-1 edge in shots in the first half, but the Golden Eagles rebounded to hold a 6-5 advantage in the second half. Seattle had all five shots in the overtime periods, including four in the second overtime stanza.
The Golden Eagles had three attempts late in the second half, but a shot by Franco was blocked and another shot by Franco went wide. Khadijah Greenwood had a shot go wide with less than four minutes remaining and a corner kick by the Golden Eagles in the final two minutes did not result in a shot.
The Redhawks had a late flurry in the second overtime period. A shot by Maryann Boddy was saved by Coca and an attempt by Leah Wymer with just 26 seconds remaining hit the crossbar.
That sent the game into a shootout, where Cal State L.A. came up with the biggest shots -- and saves.
