Sam Houston State soccer season ended at the hands of penalty shootouts against Houston Baptist in the Southland Conference semifinals in Beaumont on Friday.
HBU advances to the SLC final with a 4-2 victory in penalties after a 1-1 tie in 110 minutes of play.
SHSU was under five minutes away from advancing to the SLC championship with a 1-0 win over HBU.
With 4:18 left on the game clock though, HBU senior defender Lindsay Matlock sent a free kick into the box, and the Bearkats could not get the clearance. The ball bounced around before the Huskies’ Ellie Hall finished things to tie the score up at one apiece, sending the game to overtime.
All-SLC junior forward Ashley Alonzo provided the lone Bearkat goal from freshman defender Caitlin Schwartz’s long pass inside the box in the 22nd minute of the match. Alonzo buried the ball into the bottom right corner of the net to give SHSU the early lead. The goal was Alonzo’s seventh of the season.
The two teams went into overtime against each other for the second time this season after a 0-0 draw after extra time at Pritchett Field last Friday.
Neither team was able to get the game winner, forcing the Kats and Huskies to go into penalties.
Junior goalkeeper Kylie Hambleton was unable to stop any of HBU’s penalties. Junior midfielder Mariah Titus smacked the crossbar in the opening penalty kick, and senior midfielder Madison Bible had her penalty kick blocked.
The Kats finish the SLC season 8-3-1.
HBU will take on the winner of Stephen F. Austin State and Nicholls State in the championship Sunday. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. and the game will broadcast on ESPN 3.