 |
Junior
Janessa Taddei (right) sent FIU into
the Sun Belt Championship game with
her goal in the final round of the shootout.
Photo by Geoff Anderson |
MIAMI
– The fourth-seeded and host Florida
International University women’s soccer
team advanced to the final of the 2004 Aeropostale
Sun Belt Conference Soccer Championship,
3-2 on penalty kicks, after battling top-seeded
Middle Tennessee to a 2-2 tie through two
overtime periods Thursday night at University
Park.
The Golden Panthers
(7-11-1) advance to face the winner of tonight’s
second semifinal between second-seeded North
Texas and third-seeded Denver. The championship
game will be played at University Park Saturday
at 1 p.m. With the tie, Middle Tennessee’s
record is now 13-4-2.
“This was a really
hard-fought match,” said FIU head
coach Everton Edwards, whose team is now
7-0 at home this season. “We have
a lot of admiration for Middle Tennessee
and they played a great game. Neither team
deserved to lose this one.”
With the shootout knotted
a 2-2, Janessa Taddei stepped up and nailed
her spot kick into the upper left corner,
over the reach of diving Blue Raider goalkeeper
Jenny Manis, to put the Golden Panthers
up by a goal. Middle Tennessee’s Claire
Ward had a chance to push the shootout into
a sixth round but her effort hit the crossbar.
The Golden Panthers
forced overtime thanks to a strong run by
Whitney Rezendes in the 82nd minute. Valerie
Patrick sent a long ball from FIU’s
defensive half of the field, which found
its way through a group of three Blue Raider
defenders and onto the path of Rezendes.
The freshman forward then ran into the box
and sent a floating shot from an angle eight
yards out over Manis to tie the game, 2-2,
at the 81:23 mark. The goal was Rezendes’
third of the season.
“That goal really
changed the momentum and gave us a lot of
energy going into overtime,” said
Edwards on Rezendes’ game-tying goal.
The Golden Panthers
out-shot the Blue Raiders 20-17 in the match
(7-0 in overtime) and committed 27 fouls
to MT’s 14. Madeline Gannon made seven
saves in goal for FIU while Manis had eight.
Corner kicks were even, 5-5.
FIU had a dream start
to the match thanks to Janet Ligouri’s
third goal of the season just 2:52 in the
game. Rebecca Rodriquez equalized for the
Blue Raiders following a goalmouth scramble
at 57:39.
The Golden Panthers
looked to be close to regaining the lead
following scoring chances by Ligouri and
Chanelle Crosby in the 67th and 70th minutes,
respectively, but it was Middle Tennessee
who would strike next, against the run of
play.
The Blue Raiders threatened
on the counter attack but the FIU defense
was up to the task. Middle Tennessee quickly
won the ball back, however, as Debs Brereton
found space 25 yards out and sent the ball
into the upper right half of the net past
the out-stretched hands of Gannon for a
2-1 Blue Raider lead. The goal was Brereton’s
19th on the year.
FIU created most of the scoring opportunities
during the two overtime periods and held
a 4-0 shots on goal advantage over MT. Each
team had a free kick from just outside the
penalty area but were unable to convert.
Crosby and Rezendes
converted the first two FIU penalty kicks
in the shootout to life the Golden Panthers
to a 2-0 advantage. The Blue Raiders came
back with goals from Laura Miguez and Rachel
Holmes in the third and fourth rounds, respectively,
before Taddei sent the Golden Panthers through
to the final with her goal in round five.
Tickets for all games
are available at all Ticketmaster outlets,
the Pharmed Arena Ticket Office, charge
by phone via Ticketmaster in Miami-Dade
at (305) 358-5885, in Broward at (954) 523-3309,
in Palm Beach at (561) 966-3309 or online
at ticketmaster.com and FIUsports.com.