Southeast Missouri State remains alive in OVC soccer tourney with shootout win

Southeast Missouri State sophomore goalkeeper Kindra Lierz dove to her left and knocked away the penalty shot of Jacksonville State's Justin Panchuk before putting her hands on her head in disbelief as the rest of the Redhawks ran out and celebrated their shootout victory to keep the season alive Sunday afternoon.

No. 6 Southeast and the No. 3 JSU Gamecocks, who ended the Redhawks' season last year, played to a 1-1 tie through two overtimes before the Ohio Valley Conference tournament quarterfinal was decided on penalty kicks on a rainy day in Jacksonville, Alabama.

Lierz and JSU goalie Katie Thomas each made saves on the first PK attempts.

Southeast's Christina Rohde sent her attempt past Thomas before JSU's Claire Petersen tied it back up.

Jennifer Antonacci made the Redhawks' next attempt before Lierz blocked the attempt of Olivia Drapes.

After Southeast junior transfer Angie Mann hit her shot off the crossbar, Mackenzie Bellows retied it.

Each team missed its next two attempts before Paige Blankenheim sent her shot high past Thomas and into the left side of the net to put Southeast on top before Lierz's final save gave the Redhawks the win.

JSU's Courtney Hurt scored with 11:36 left in the first half. The Gamecocks crossed the ball in from the right wing and it was headed straight to Hurt at the left post. The senior gained control and hit it past Lierz to put JSU up 1-0.

Junior forward Natasha Minor played a ball to the feet of Maddy Cornell just inside the top right corner of the box three minutes later. Cornell lofted a shot over JSU goalkeeper Caroline Robinson and into the back of the net to even it.

JSU finished with 23 shots, including nine on goal, while 10 of Southeast's 21 shots were on goal.

Southeast defeated JSU 1-0 exactly two weeks prior to Sunday's win.

The Redhawks are 8-5-7 on the season and advance to the semifinals of the conference tournament.

They will face No. 2 Tennessee Tech at 11 a.m. Friday in Murray, Kentucky.