Conway – The Central Arkansas women's soccer team took to a rain-soaked field in the opening round of the Southland Conference Women's Soccer Tournament on Thursday, taking on the third-seeded Sam Houston State Bearkats. The Bears and Bearkats played the full amount of time allowed before Central Arkansas fell in heartbreaking fashion, falling 4-3 in a penalty shootout.

Sam Houston State (9-6-4) outshot Central Arkansas (7-11-2) 6-4 in the first half, though neither side was able to score, due in large part to some spectacular goalkeeping. Sam Houston got a solid chance in the 16^th minute, when Ashley Alonzo found herself in a one-on-one with UCA keeper Lauren Mercuri. Alonzo dribbled left before trying to slot the ball inside the back post, but Mercuri made a diving save to deny the chance. Mercuri also made a save on Shelby McDaniel's attempt in the 29^th minute, while Sam Houston's Kyle Hambleton stopped Camille Bassett's shot in the 44^th minute.

The Bearkats turned on the pressure in the second half, taking 14 shots in the second half. Mercuri proved more than capable, stopping all six shots that Sam Houston put on goal. The Bears put two shots on goal in the half, but were unable to best Hambleton, sending the match to overtime.

Neither side was able to generate much pressure in the first overtime period, combining for just two shots, neither of which was on target.

In the second overtime period, Sam Houston got the best chance of the overtime period, when McDaniel put an attempt on goal, but Mercuri made the save.

With neither team able to score in the 110 minutes allotted for the match, the match headed to a penalty shootout. Megan Bennett opened the shootout for Sam Houston firing just inside the left post, but Mercuri made a diving save. Shelby Wilson was first up for the Bears, slotting the ball into the top-right corner to put UCA up 1-0 in the shootout. Mariah Titus was up next for Sam Houston, going bottom right, and slamming the ball home off the hand of an outstretched Mercuri. Kelly McLaughlin stepped to the penalty spot for the Bears, but her attempt at the bottom-right corner was stopped by Hambleton. Meredith Carlson saw her first action of the match, taking the third shot for the Bearkats and delivering a score in the top-right corner. Allie Coleman followed by beating Hambleton to the top-right corner to even the shootout at 2-2 after three shots.Katie Bunch beat Mercuri to the bottom-right corner before Kate Koch kept the shootout even with a shot to the top-right to beat Hambleton.

With the shootout knotted at 3-3 after four shots, Allie Johnson stepped to the spot for Sam Houston, firing inside the right post. Mercuri guessed correctly, laying out and getting a glove on the ball, but it still found its way into the back of the net to give the Bearkats a 4-3 lead. Looking to extend the shootout, Ashley Smith fired right, but Hambleton swatted the ball away, allowing Sam Houston to advance to the second round.

"We fought tonight, it was a really good game and Sam Houston is a really good team," said UCA head coach Jeremy Bishop after the match. "I think that's what you have to do sometimes against a team that maybe has a bit more firepower, is get behind the ball and defend and make them shoot from distance. On our side of it, we created some stuff. We were able to break them down and get behind them and give ourselves some good chances, but it just didn't come tonight."

On the night, the Bears were on target with three of their nine shots, getting two from Bassett and one from Kristen Ricks. Mercuri earned her second shutout of the season, making nine saves. "Lauren played solid tonight," said Bishop of his freshman keeper. "Honestly, our goalkeeping hasn't been our strength this season, but tonight it was. Lauren played very well and made some big saves. And in the shootout she made one save and touched three other shots, and that's all you can ask for. She put herself out there in a good position and worked really hard and made some big saves."