2020 Championship Central
OMAHA, Neb. – Third-seeded Omaha used a 3-1 advantage in penalty kicks to secure its spot in the 2020 #SummitWSOC Championship presented by U.S. Air Force Special Warfare game after playing second-seeded South Dakota State to a scoreless draw for the third time this season.
Maverick goalkeeper Mia Olesen made five saves, including big ones in the opening minutes of regulation and the closing minutes of the first overtime to keep South Dakota State off the scoreboard. Both teams ended up using two goalkeepers as both offenses put five shots on frame and each squad also hit the post.
After Omaha withstood an early flurry that saw SDSU get four shots off, including two that needed to be saved by Olesen, both teams settled into the match.
The Mavericks managed two shots on goal in the opening 45 minutes as Taylor Lock was steady in goal for the Jacks in the first half.
While SDSU switched goalkeepers after halftime as they were accustomed to doing during the regular season, Olesen stayed in net for Omaha throughout regulation and the extra periods.
Maya Hansen had an open look in the closing minute, but her right-footed strike went just wide before the match headed to extra time.
Eden Brooker had the best crack at a goal in the first overtime as she fired a shot on goal that goalkeeper Mia Olesen sent wide of the post with a diving save.
The Jackrabbits had two shots on goal in the first overtime, while the Mavericks mustered two in the second overtime, but the match would ultimately be decided by penalty kicks.
Freshman Grace Ostergaard opened the pk-session with a goal for the Mavericks.
Madeline Smith entered the game at goalkeeper for Omaha -- a decision head coach Tim Walters said was made this morning if the match were to reach this point -- and promptly made a diving stop on Gabby Vivier-Hannay's first attempt for SDSU.
Sophia Green would put Omaha ahead 2-0 with a tally before Brooker got SDSU on the board after driving a shot past a diving Smith.
Lock made a stop on Omaha's third attempt by Andrea Daves, but two misfires by the Jackrabbits after that sealed the Mavericks second title game appearance in the last three years.
Penalty Kick Shootout
Omaha's Grace Ostergaard (yes)
SDSU's Gabby Vivier-Hannay (no)
Omaha's Sophia Green (yes)
SDSU's Eden Brooker (yes)
Omaha's Andrea Daves (no)
SDSU's Rachel Preston (no)
Omaha's Emilie Erland (yes)
SDSU's Maya Hansen (no)
Omaha goalkeeper: Madeline Smith
SDSU goalkeeper: Taylor Lock
Third-seeded Omaha will play top-seeded Denver in the title match at 4 p.m. CT on Saturday at Caniglia Field.
Turning point
- Mia Olesen made two saves late in the first overtime, including a diving stop that she just got a piece of to send Eden Brooker's shot wide of the frame to keep the game scoreless.
Inside the box score
- Olesen, who was named the #SummitWSOC Goalkeeper of the Year earlier in the week, made a game-high five saves.
- Both teams had five shots on goal, but the Mavericks outshot the Jackrabbits 14-9 overall.
News & Notes
- The overtime contest was the seventh of the season for SDSU (2-0-4) and eighth for Omaha (2-1-4) - these two played the most overtime matches among league teams, including a pair of double-overtime scoreless draws during their regular-season matchups in Omaha.
- These two teams played a pair of scoreless overtime matches in the regular season.
- This marks the fifth time in the last eight years that a match at the Summit League Tournament went into overtime.
- The title match will be a rematch of the 2018 finale that saw No. 2 seed Denver defeat No. 4 seed Omaha 4-0 in Brookings.
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