Box Score MOBILE, Ala. (Nov. 2, 2012) – A pair of goals, including the game-winner in the 96th minute by junior Kim Lopez placed the FIU women's soccer team (13-5-2) in its second-straight Sun Belt Conference finals appearance with a 2-1 overtime win over Middle Tennessee (14-5-1) on Friday night in Mobile, Ala.

"Middle Tennessee is a good team, a really good team," Head Coach Thomas Chestnutt said. "I am really proud of the effort that our team gave tonight."

"Tonight's game was a complete battle," Lopez said. "We battled from the beginning to the end. We really believed that we were going to come out on top in this match. I think we dominated parts of the game. Not to take anything away from Middle Tennessee. They played a great game too. But, I think we had a little more belief in what we were going to do."

Lopez got FIU on the board early, scoring her second goal of the season and tournament 50 seconds into the match. The Ft. Pierce, Fla., native received a pass from junior
Chelsea Leiva and struck a shot to the near post to give the Panthers a 1-0 advantage.

"I think tonight was great," sophomore Caroline Hernandez said. "As a team we played really hard. We weren't out there as individuals and I am really proud of the team for that."

"We started out well in the opening minutes and had other opportunities, but it seemed that Middle Tennessee was starting to get hold of the game in the latter part of the first
half," Chestnutt said.

Middle Tennessee tied the match up in the 32nd minute with a converted penalty kick by Charity Blair. The penalty kick was awarded after FIU was called for a hand ball in the box on a Blue Raider corner kick. Blair successfully converted the penalty to knot the score at 1-1.

"We made some adjustments at halftime and I thought we did a much better job out of the blocks," Chestnutt said. "We started to really control the game."

FIU came out in the second half and controlled much of the final 45 minutes, creating a number of scoring chances. However, no goals were scored by either team, sending the match to overtime. Middle Tennessee had a good chance in the final eight seconds of regulation as Regina Thomas took a shot on net. Goalkeeper Kaitlyn Savage was out of position after making a previous save. Fortunately, defender Marie Egan was on the line to clear the shot and send the game to overtime.

"Overtime is about will and desire and the team with more will and desire will win the games in overtime," Chestnutt said. "That mentality and energy was there tonight and we felt that we were going to find a way to get it done."

In overtime, FIU punched its ticket to the team's second-straight conference title game when Lopez netted her second goal of the game and third of the tournament in the 96th minute. The scoring chance was created by Leiva, who intercepted a poor Middle Tennessee defensive clearance. The Royal Palm Beach, Fla., native streaked down the right side of the field and into the box, sending a low-driving cross far post to Lopez, who entered the area and drove home the game-winner.

"I kind of had a drought in goal scoring this season but I think this tournament has really seemed to energize me," Lopez said. "In overtime, Chelsea was making a great run and I put myself in a great position and was able to finish that as well."

It marked the fifth overtime match of the season and improved the team's record in overtime in 2012 to 3-0-2.

Despite the Blue Raiders' 21-17 edge in total shots, the FIU defensive back line shut down one of the nation's most-prolific scoring offenses (averaging 3.00 goals-per-game).

"We did a really good job as a defensive unit in adjusting to what Middle Tennessee was trying to do offensively," Hernandez said. "I think we have a really solid defensive back line this year. We are all hard workers; Nikki (Rios), Jazmin (Jones), Marie (Egan). I am really proud them."

Savage had another solid night in net for the Panthers allowing just one goal (a PK) to pick up her 13th win of the season. Savage increased her career win total to 35, while improving her season goals-against average to 0.89.

The win marked the seventh-straight for the Panthers and increased the team's current unbeaten streak to nine games (8-0-1).

The win also marked the first victory for the Panthers over the Blue Raiders during Chestnutt's tenure, snapping a seven-game streak. With 13 victories this season, FIU ties its win total from last season – second-most in school history (15 wins in 2000).

"It feels great to be back in the finals," Chestnutt said. "We will celebrate tonight and then we will get after it tomorrow and start organizing a game plan for Sunday."

"North Texas is a good attacking team," Hernandez said. "After playing them earlier in the year to a 1-1 tie, we know what to expect and will be better prepared on Sunday." 

The Panthers will face the North Texas Mean Green for the Sun Belt Conference Tournament crown on Sunday, Nov. 4. Game time is set for 2 p.m. ET. The game can be watched live on www.sunbeltsports.org. The web stream is provided at no charge.

Fans are encouraged to follow @FIUWomensSoccer on Twitter, and "Like" FIU women's soccer on Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUWSoccer) for the latest Panther soccer news. Follow all of FIU's 18 athletic teams on Google+ (FIU Athletics), Twitter (@FIUAthletics), Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUSports), YouTube (FIUPanthers), and Instagram (FIUathletics).   

About FIU Athletics: FIU Athletics is home to more than 400 student-athletes in 18 different sports. Athletic events are played in seven different venues on FIU's campuses (Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay), including U.S. Century Bank Arena and Alfonso Field at FIU Stadium.

About FIU: Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. Its colleges and schools offer more than 180 bachelors, masters and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida's anchor institutions, FIU is worlds ahead in its local and global engagement, finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission and enrolls 50,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. More than 140,000 alumni live and work in South Florida. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu