After a scoreless 110 minutes, the Spartans win the penalty kick shoot-out 3-1.

By John Bergen
UWF Sports Information

Orange Beach, Ala.-After both Men's Semifinal matches on Friday went scoreless for the regulation 90 minutes, the Women's Championship game between Franklin Pierce and Tampa followed suit. With nothing decided after 90 minutes of play, it marked the third straight year that the Women's National Championship has gone into overtime. Then, with a scoreless first overtime, the game went into a second overtime for the first time ever in the National Championship game for Women's Soccer. However, after 110 minutes, nothing would be decided, and the first ever Championship deciding by Penalty kicks would take place. In the Penalty kicks, Tampa would out-shoot the Ravens 3-1, with Ashley Flateland putting in the kick to seal the win.

Flateland was excited about the chance to win it, "I just didn't want to miss it, I was thinking about our keeper (Shannon Aitken) and I didn't want to let her down, she had played so well. It's a good feeling, but I am more proud of my defense." Flateland had marked up the Ravens' top scorer Gabriela Demoner all game long. Tampa Head Coach Gerry Lucey agreed, "We did a great job stopping #10 (Demoner), she is a very dangerous player. When they switched her, we just had Ashley follow her all-day, so we only had to do minor adjusting."

Franklin Pierce was making their seventh appearance in the championship game, and they are now 5-2 all-time in the championship game. The Ravens were hoping to follow their Men's win on Friday in penalty kicks, and were up for the chance to do the same, but Spartans' goalkeeper Shannon Aitken stopped the penalty kick from Gabriela Demoner that helped set up Flateland's kick to end the Ravens chance to do what the Men's team had done the night before.

The first half started with both teams trying to push it up quickly, but both defenses were quick to deny all penetration. During the first 15 minutes of play, Tampa had two free kicks from the left side at approximately 30 yards out, and both came up empty as the cross shots were intercepted by Franklin Pierce. The Ravens best early chance came on a header from Gabriela Demoner at the 23 minute mark; however, Tampa goalkeeper Shannon Aitken saved it. By midway thru the first half, Franklin Pierce seemed to be controlling the action.

At the thirty minute mark, Tampa had a couple of opportunities inside the box, but the Ravens defense deflected a nice cross pass away. During the final twenty minutes of the first half the control of play kept flipping back and forth. The first half would end with neither team showing any advantage or momentum. The scoreless first half was relatively even statistically, with four shots for Franklin Pierce and three for Tampa. The Ravens had three of the five first half corner kicks.

Tampa (20-2-2) had knocked off the top seed Grand Valley State in the semifinal on the strength of a goal with two minutes left in the first half. The Spartans had an opportunity with three minutes left in the first half of the championship game, with a free kick. Courtney Evans shuttled it to an open Shelby Kuni, who had an open look at the goal, but struck it too strong and it sailed over the cross bar. During the first half, each team had one legitimate chance to score, but did not cash in.

Franklin Pierce (18-2-5) advanced to the final by defeating the second ranked, and previously unbeaten Seattle Pacific by a 2-0 score, on the strength of an unlikely goal from Taryn Welker, a defender, who scored her first goal of the season. The Ravens couldn't muster any unlikely heroes for the championship match. "We were pumped up by what the men had done, but it was a different game today and we had to focus on that," claimed goalkeeper Brittany Ester after the loss. In regards to the penalty kicks, she stated, "I always think we have the advantage, but it's a game of inches, so I just try to stay in the moment and do what I can."

Franklin Pierce Head Coach Jeff Bailey commented about the game and the penalty kick situation. "It was a great scrappy game, and neither team took control. I don't think the penalty kicks is the best way to decide it, but those are the rules, and we practice and practice for it. When Gabby (Demoner) misses, and she never misses, then I knew it wasn't our day." In regards to making changes during the scoreless game, Bailey commented, "It's a delicate balance, you can't go crazy and change too much ." The second half began with the teams equally balancing game control, until Tampa had the first great chance at a goal. The Spartans' Alison Penland had an open 10 yard shot from the right side, that was blocked by Brittany Ester. After that great look, the Spartans appeared to have the upper hand controlling play; however, the Ravens never panicked and countered very well, and appeared to have become the aggressor just before the TV timeout at the 68th minute.

At the 71st minute, Kuni had another opportunity for the Spartans, when the Ravens defender fell down, and Kuni had an open 10 shot from the right side, but Brittany Ester made another strong save. Throughout the second half the Ravens kept trying to exploit the right side, but just couldn't get any great chances at goal. At the 83rd minute, Tampa had another good opportunity with a free kick from straight on, but Kuni's shot for the Spartans was defended well. Then, just moments later, the Ravens had a fast break opportunity of 3 on 2, but were offsides. At the 87th minute an open shot from the left corner by the Spartans' Marissa Bernard would go wide.

The overtime period started and the Spartans from Tampa appeared to take control. At the 91st minute, Kuni received a nice cross from Courtney Evans inside the box, but couldn't put it in, as it sailed over the corner. Then just two minutes later, Bernard had a shot from just inside the box and the shot was just high by inches. The Ravens would survive the barrage, and then Mackenzie Bulych would get a header opportunity off a corner kick, but Tampa keeper Shannon Aitken would save it. With 30 seconds left in the second overtime, Tampa's Meghan Tobin had a free kick from outside the box go high, and the match would end scoreless.

Kuni commented on the missed opportunities, "I should have had the shot in the overtime, but you can't get down, you have to keep pluggin. This was a great tournament and great place to play, we did some fun things here, and the team came together." Coach Lucey commented on the game and the penalty kick situation, "For a 0-0 tie, it was a very exciting game. Franklin Pierce was a very good team, but I thought we deserved it. As far as the penalty kicks, it's tough, I am not sure it's a fair way. I think I might like the old way. But for today, all the credit goes to the players, I think the missed opportunities really energized our kids."

In the Penaly kick session, Franklin Pierce had the first chance, but Bulych would miss wide right, only to have Kuni score for Tampa, on their first attempt. After three straight missed, Tobin would put Tampa up 2-0 in the penalty kicks with a shot into the left corner. Allison Haines would put the Ravens on the board with a shot into the right corner, but the Spartans' Ashley Flateland sealed the win for Tampa with a shot into the left corner.

If the National Championship Trophy could be nicely cut in half, it should have been today, as neither team deserved to settle for second place. For a contest that was scoreless for 110 minutes, it was full of exciting attack and counterattack. Both teams can take pride in participating in a first ever event in National Championship history.