Shot down by MU

~ MIssouri outscored Southeast 2-0 in the game-ending shootout.

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Southeast Missouri State came within inches of pulling off a monster upset in the NCAA women's soccer tournament.

The Redhawks forced two overtimes and took the University of Missouri to penalty kicks in their opening-round game Friday night.

But Missouri goalkeeper Mallory Forst stood in the way. She made three saves in the shootout, then blasted the game-winner as the fifth Tigers player to kick. Missouri won the shootout 2-0.

"It was so exciting," Forst said. "It was just set up that if I made it, it was done. I was ready to end the game right there. It was a great end to a hard-fought game. It was a great feeling."

Xavier guard Stanley Burrell (34) drives to the basket past Southeast Missouri State guard Jaycen Herring (2) during a basketball game Saturday, Nov. 10, 2007, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Tony Tribble)

After the teams played to a 1-1 tie, it came down to penalty kicks. Southeast goalie Lindsay Pickering made some dazzling saves during regulation to keep her team in the contest.

Shootouts are nothing new to the Redhawks. They defeated Samford in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament title game in a shootout Sunday at Houck Stadium. Southeast converted all its kicks Sunday.

The Tigers shot first in the shootout, and Kat Tarr beat Pickering to put the pressure on the Redhawks. Megan McGrath stepped up first for Southeast and laced it wide left.

Pickering was up to the task on Missouri's second attempt, catching a ball right at her.

"I'm not one to guess," Pickering said. "I will try to read a foot if I can. But I just stay back and react."

Missouri's Michelle Collins stopped the ball short of Southeast's Blair Schuppan.

Senior Molli Beard tried next for Southeast, but her attempt slammed into Forst.

"Pretty much I try not to look at the goalie and pick my corner and put it in the net," Beard said. "It didn't work out."

Pickering again came up huge when Ashley Hamblin tried to knock it past the Southeast goalie's left side. Pickering made a diving catch to thwart the attempt.

Southeast senior Alaina Lacopo's attempt got punched over the top of the goal by Forst. Missouri's leading scorer, Kristin Andrighetto, put her attempt wide left.

Next came one of Southeast's leading scorers, Courtney Alexander. She unleashed a low shot that hit Forst and clanked off the left goalpost.

SEMO's Casey Kraft leaps in the air to hit the ball during their game against Missouri on Friday, November 16, 2007. (Aaron Eisenhauer)

"I personally think it did go in," Alexander said. "The ref was right on the line and we're not going to argue with him about it. I think it went in."

Forst admitted she guessed on Alexander's shot.

"On the fourth one, where I saved it with my foot, I picked the wrong way," Forst said. "At the last second I realized she was coming the other way, so I just stuck my foot out to get anything on it that I could."

When it was Forst's turn to kick, she blasted a rocket to her right to clinch the victory for the Tigers, smashing Southeast's upset bid.

Missouri coach Bryan Blitz said he prepared his team for the possibility it would see a shootout. He was thankful he'd spent the week working on penalty kicks.

Southeast's Vanessa Hart jumped above Missouri's Michelle Collins to head the ball during their game on Friday.

"We knew it was a possibility, especially with this kind of staunch defense and also a hot goalkeeper keeping them in the game," he said. "For that reason, we practiced all week long."

Southeast went 0-for-4 on penalty kicks after a perfect performance less than a week ago, but Southeast coach Heather Nelson's confidence never wavered in her team.

"I told them that I didn't want to make any changes," Nelson said. "I'd use the same lineup in a shootout tomorrow. That won't change."

Missouri dominated the play throughout regulation, but could only manage a goal 16 minutes into the game when Michelle Collins beat Pickering.

"Their strategy worked for them -- bunker and counter," Blitz said. "It worked for them for a long time."

With the ball in the net, Courtney Alexander celebrated her goal against Missouri on Friday. (PHOTOS BY AARON EISENHAUER ~ aeisenhauer@semissourian.com)

The Redhawks answered in the closing minutes of the first half to even the score 1-1 on Courtney Alexander's goal. It stood that way through the second half and two 10-minute overtime periods.

"We knew it was going to be a battle," Blitz said. "They're the conference champions. They're a seasoned team and they were in the NCAA tournament last year, so we knew they were going to give us all we could handle."