Little Rock Outlasts Louisiana on Penalty Kicks To Advance To Quarterfinals

FOLEY, Ala. – For the fourth time in its last five opportunities, Little Rock emerged victorious in penalty kicks at the Sun Belt Championship, advancing past Louisiana after a hard-fought 1-1 double overtime drawl. The Trojans outscored the Ragin' Cajuns 3-0 in penalty kicks, advancing to Wednesday's quarterfinal against South Alabama.
 
It was the fifth time since 2017 that Little Rock had gone to penalty kicks in the conference tournament, emerging victorious for the fourth time. The Trojans bested Arkansas State 3-1 in PKs in the 2017 quarterfinals, then again 4-3 in the 2018 quarterfinals. Little Rock's first conference title came off a 6-5 penalty kick victory over Texas State in the 2018 championship and the Trojans fell 4-3 to South Alabama in last year's quarterfinals.
 
"I thought our tactics were brilliant today," said head coach Mark Foster. "We tried a little bit different approach, and the girls really bought in. I thought our intensity and aggression was great in the first half, we just needed that extra pass. We were able to do that in the second half and create some opportunities."
 
Little Rock converted on one of those opportunities in the 77th minute when Natalee Geren sent a pass to Abril Lucio on the right side who juked a defender and put a shot with the left foot into the near side of the goal, giving the Trojans the 1-0 lead.
 
In the waning minutes, Louisiana drew a penalty in the box, setting up a penalty kick that slipped past Saskia Wagner in the 85th minute, evening the score at 1-1. But thank to four games already this season in which Little Rock faced either a late goal or deficit, the Trojans seemed poised to take advantage once again.
 
"It was a harsh goal, one that could easily have made us feel sorry for ourselves, but that's never been what this team has done," Foster said. "This team once again was united, passionate and brave, and that's what got us across the line. Our girls never quit, and that has become what this team is known for."
 
Both teams had an opportunity to notch the win in the overtime periods. Louisiana fired a point-blank shot on goal with less than five seconds remaining in the first overtime, which was swatted away by Wagner to preserve the win. In the second overtime, Karina De Paoli was able to work her way to the near post and put on the brakes, turning and firing a shot that sailed wide left of the far post by inches.
 
Louisiana shot first in the penalty kick period, beginning with a shot that sailed wide right, before Lucio converted on her attempt to give the Trojans the 1-0 lead. Wagner then made a diving save to her left on the Cajuns' second attempt, followed by Bergros Asgeirsdottir sending one into the left side to give Little Rock the commanding 2-0 lead.
 
The Ragin' Cajuns sent their third attempt high over the crossbar, meaning the Trojans needed just one goal to clinch the win. Fanney Einarsdottir lined a shot past the diving arms of the Louisiana goalkeeper into the left side of the net, clinching the win for Little Rock.
 
In a very even match, both teams finished with 18 shots as the Ragin' Cajuns held a slight 8-7 edge in shots on goal. Geren and De Paoli led the Trojan with four shots on the night while Julia Edholm added three, including a pair on net. Jana Heinen and Einarsdottir both finished with a pair of shots.
 
In net, Wagner made a season-high seven saves, along with another in the penalty kick period to keep the Ragin' Cajuns off the scoreboard. She was one of five Trojans to play all 110 minutes, joined by Edholm, Mariella Stephens, Asgeirsdottir and Einarsdottir.
 
With the victory, Little Rock now advances to play second-seeded South Alabama in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, November 3 at 1:30 p.m. It will be another showdown as Foster faces his former team, and a challenge he and his team are eager to take on.
 
"It will be a challenge, for sure, especially after playing a double overtime match today and the toll that takes on you both physically and mentally," Foster said. "But we're about to face the team that has dominated this league for the last eight years. They've won seven of the last eight tournament titles, and the lone team that broke that up was us. We'll look forward to the challenge and a great game on Wednesday."
 
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