St. Louis, MO 11/3/2022- The Westminster College women's soccer team traveled to St. Louis to take on the Fontbonne University Griffins for the third time this season. The Griffins have defeated the Blue Jays 1-0 in both meetings this season. The two teams played to a tie at halftime and the Griffins would score a goal in the opening minutes of the second half. It appeared they were on the way to their third 1-0 victory of the season against Westminster.
The Blue Jays would flip the script from that point on as Annalise Beck (St. Louis, MO / Notre Dame High School) scored the equalizer in the sixty-fourth minute to tie the game 1-1. Beck's goal was the first shot on goal in the game for the Jays and it was the first goal the Griffins have given up in conference play that wasn't a penalty kick. Newcomer of the Year Hannah Shylanski (O'Fallon, MO / Fort Zumwalt North) had a chance at putting the Blue Jays up 2-1 after she had a shot hit off the top crossbar and go out of play in the eighty-fourth minute.
Regulation would end with the game tied 1-1. They would play two ten-minute overtimes. Fontbonne would take one shot in the first overtime, but it wasn't on goal. The second overtime saw both teams have a couple of chances to win the game. The Griffins had a shot that was saved by Megan Davidson (St. Louis, MO / Affton High School) and had a header go wide right of the goal in the hundred-and-seventh minute. Lauren Halamicek (St. Louis, MO / Oakville High School) had a shot from way downtown go out over the top of the net.
The game would head to penalty kicks as neither team could score in either overtime period. Kelsey Gordon (St. Louis, MO / Lindbergh) would shoot first. She would put the ball past the Griffins goalkeeper, Mary Beers, to the bottom right of the net. The Griffins had the player of the year, Krystal Kohenskey attempts their first shot and she would miss the shot wide left of the net. The Blue Jays lead 1-0.
Beck would have the second attempt for the Blue Jays. She would beat Beers as well, going to the bottom right one more time. Carlie Smith would have the second attempt for the Griffins, and she would beat Davidson as she went top right on a perfectly placed ball. The score is now 2-1.
Madi Lenk (Troy, MO / Troy Buchanan High School) took the third shot, and she would also score going to the bottom right against Beers. Cassidy Head had the third attempt for the Griffins, and she would score going to the bottom right as well. The Blue Jays lead 3-2.
Jenna Frisella (St. Louis, MO / Oakville High School) had the fourth kick for the Blue Jays, and she would hit it off the top crossbar and it would stay out of the net. Davidson would deny the Griffins' fourth attempt as Mia Patterson tried going to the right and Davidson dove to keep the ball out of the net. The Blue Jays still lead 3-2.
Payton Montana (Barnhart, MO / Seckman) had the fifth shot for the Blue Jays with the season on the line. She would try going bottom right, but Beers would make the save this time, giving the Griffins a chance to tie. Katie Leeker would step to the line with a chance to tie it and she would be denied by Davidson as she would send the championship game! The Blue Jays win the game on penalty kicks 3-2 after drawing 1-1 in regulation and overtime. Davidson came up big, making two huge saves in penalty kicks. She would also make five saves in the game.
The Blue Jays will take on the Greenville University Panthers at 3:30 PM on Saturday. That game will take place in Greenville, Illinois.
