SAN ANGELO, Texas -- Midwestern State is quickly re-asserting itself as Angelo State's nemesis -- even on Tuesdays.
MSU senior
Olivia Okoye's miraculous goal in the 88th minute extended the match, then sophomore goalkeeper
Lexi Jackson came through with a pair of saves in penalty kicks to see the Mustangs on to the Lone Star Conference Postseason Tournament semifinals.
Midwestern State and Angelo State played to a 2-2 draw through 90 minutes of regulation and 20 minutes of overtime before the Mustangs edged the Rambelles 3-2 in PKs.
MSU faces West Texas A&M in the semifinals Friday night at Patriot Soccer Field in Dallas. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
With time winding down, Okoye got a foot on ASU midfielder Madison Stokes' clearing pass with a little over two minutes remaining in regulation.
The 5-7 forward chased down the deflection and stepped into a blast from just over 30 yards out and buried in the upper left corner of the net to knot the score at 2-all.
Neither team found much rhythm in 20 minutes of overtime leaving the game to be decided on penalty kicks.
Sophomore Grace Jordan sent ASU's first try over the bar allowing the Mustangs to capitalize on successful shots from senior
Senna Garcia and sophomore
Isabella Cruz.
But Rambelle goalkeeper Kira Miller stopped
Nicole Marsolek's attempt to the right side of the net to keep Angelo State alive.
That's when Jackson stepped in to save the first of two consecutive penalties by ASU's Cassidy Hill and Katie Detmer sandwich around a conversion by MSU sophomore
Lexi Beck, who slid a shot to the lower left corner to provide the difference.
Midwestern State never led Tuesday night, but twice worked for equalizing scores.
Angelo State's Katelyn Heise scored in the fifth minute of the match, but the Mustangs answered with first half goal of their own.
Senior midfielder
Alyssa Salinas served a corner into the center of the box which was headed into the crossbar by junior Maya Warrior. The ball bounded to freshman Jadyn Lopez, who blasted the ball into the roof of the net to level the score at 1-1 in the 30th minute.
Angelo State grasped hold of the lead once again in the 73rd minute when Jordan sent a through ball to the left channel into the path of Cindy Rodriguez, who beat Jackson to the far post for her fourth goal of the season.
But Okoye evened the match again with her fifth goal of the campaign.
Midwestern State has eliminated the Rambelles from the LSC Tournament in each of its four postseason meetings.
The Mustangs have also advanced in each of the five times their LSC Postseason Tournament match was decided by penalty kicks. MSU moved on past Angelo State in 2005, then claimed a postseason tournament title with two PK advancements past Texas A&M-Commerce and West Texas A&M in 2013. The Mustangs claimed another postseason championship in PKs over Texas A&M-Commerce in 2016.
Midwestern State moved to 8-8-2 on the season, while the Rambelles went to 13-3-3.
-- MSUMustangs.com --
