It was a different day, but the same story for the Piedmont College women’s soccer team in Raleigh as the Lady Lions again found magic in overtime of a USA South postseason contest defeating tournament host Meredith College 2-1 in double overtime on Friday afternoon.
Meredith controlled the first half looking the part of the #1 seed from the East Division with 11 shots to Piedmont’s five in the opening 45 minutes. It was Hannah Lawrence of the home team who put them up 1-0 with her hard strike in the box off a deflected corner in the 27th minute.
Regrouping at half, Piedmont came out on fire with junior ERIN BRIGHT scoring on a cut-back from COURTNEY BELLin the 50th minute equalizing the board less than five after the break.
From that point on, the two battled with each getting time on the ball having chances to end it in regulation, but overtime would be needed to settle the score.
With the first OT quiet, Piedmont found its magic in double overtime once more as a pass to JAZMIN PENADO found the sophomore with space about 30 yards from goal.
As cool as the music genre her nickname came from, Jazz stepped up and crafted a strike from distance that just snuck in over the out-stretched hand of Jaisa Loch and under the crossbar for a 2-1 win sending Piedmont on to the conference final for the second straight year.
Turning Point
–The obvious answer would be Penado’s strike from distance in double overtime, but the argument could be made as well for an early second half score by ERIN BRIGHT that turned the tide in the contest for Piedmont.
Standout Performances
—JAZMIN PENADO‘s third goal of the season was one not to be forgotten as she crafted a beauty of a strike over the head of Meredith’s Jaisa Loch in goal.
—ERIN BRIGHT was a handful for the Meredith defense as the junior found the net less than five minutes into the second half for her second goal of 2016.
Inside the Box Score
–The goal Piedmont conceeded in the first half is the first goal given up by the Lady Lions in a USA South postseason contest since the 2013 Championship Game.
–That score, which also came from Meredith who PC defeated in the ’13 Final, snapped a USA South postseason shutout streak of nearly 650 minutes from the last eight such games.
News & Notes
–Piedmont has now been to a conference final in six of the last eight seasons dating back to PC’s time as a GSAC member.
–PC went to the GSAC Final the final three years of membership (’09-’11) winning the crown in 2011 before joining the USA South in 2012 making the Final in ’13, ’15, and now ’16.
Up Next
The winner between the other Semifinal featuring the #1 seed in the West Division, Salem College, and the #2 seed in the East Division, Methodist University. Piedmont has faced Salem twice this season falling 1-0 on the road after a scoreless draw at home. Piedmont has not faced Methodist this season.
How to Follow
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