Maryville University Athletics

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Maryville women's soccer finished as the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament runner-up, falling 3-2 in a seven-round penalty shootout against McKendree after a scoreless draw at Lake Country Soccer Complex.
 
Agnes Vilen made five saves across 110 minutes to keep the Bearcats off the scoreboard in the championship match.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Vilen was tested early, making her first save less than two minutes into the contest. Maryville answered with attempts from Helene Braren, Reese Cannon and Isabella Lobley before Anne van Son put a shot on target in the 28th minute.
 
Both teams registered four shots in a scoreless opening half.
 
Vilen kept McKendree off the board with saves in the 81st and 83rd minutes. Gabby Tucker had a shot blocked in the 87th minute before Braren forced a save at 87:22. Vilen answered with another stop 26 seconds later, helping send the championship match into overtime.
 
Neither team attempted a shot in the first extra period. Vilen collected her fifth save in the 108th minute, and Maryville earned a late corner but could not find the deciding goal.
 
Sophia Sulawske took over in goal for the shootout. After Maryville missed its first attempt, Sulawske converted on a diving save to keep it knotted at 0-0. McKendree answered with a save of their own before converting on their next try. Another Bearcat save and conversion turned the score 2-0.
 
Braren got the Saints on the board, cutting the lead in half, with Sulawske keeping it alive with another brilliant diving save. Tucker kept the energy going with a bar down attempt to make it 2-2, with the Bearcats missing to the right on their following attempt.


Maryville saw its chance at the go ahead saved before yet another save by Sulawske kept Maryville's hopes alive. Maryville's seventh round attempt would be saved, with McKendree capturing the championship on their final penalty.