HUNTSVILLE, Ala.--- The Mississippi College women's soccer team knocked off West Alabama in 12 rounds of penalty kicks in the Gulf South Conference semifinals on Friday evening (Nov. 4th). The match ended in a 0-0 draw, but MC won the penalty kick shootout 9-8. The Lady Choctaws now advance to the GSC championship match where they will take on 5-seed Lee University on Sunday (Nov. 6th). MC moves to 14-3-2 (10-2-1 GSC) on the year, while West Alabama finished up 10-5-3 (9-3-1 GSC). 

Avery Hederman was also named GSC Champion Scholar Athlete prior to the start of the match. The champion scholar athlete is the athlete with the highest cumulative GPA among all athletes competing in that sport's GSC championship.

 MC had more chances, and had the more threatening chances throughout the match. However, MC could not find the back of the net, barely missing several times. Plus West Alabama goalkeeper Maria Mon made several big saves throughout the match to keep MC off the board.

After the match ended 0-0 in regulation with the match now happening in a tournament, the two teams went into overtime. The teams played two 10 minute halves, but neither squad was able to breakthrough which sent the match into a penalty kick shootout.

Overall for the match, MC outshot West Alabama 27-6. The Lady Choctaws also held a 9-4 edge in shots on goal. 

In penalties, Beatrice Currie put MC ahead early as she converted the opening PK of the shootout. West Alabama then missed their first penalty. West Alabama would then even things up in the 2nd round 1-1 as they reciprocated the results from the 1st. 

Olivia Gelpi and Paige Laidler (of West Alabama) then both made their PK's to make it 2-2 through 3 rounds. Both teams then missed the PK's in the 4th round. In the final round of the traditional 5 rounds, Avery Hederman and Emily Djagbare both converted to send the two squads into sudden death PK's even 3 apiece. 

Both teams converted both of their PK's in the 6th and 7th rounds with Emma Young and Kaylee Foster making their's for MC. MC failed to convert in the 8th round, but Makayla Hernandez made the stop on West Alabama's PK to keep MC alive. 

Erin Hederman and Kate Strickland then both converted for MC in the 9th and 10th rounds, but West Alabama made both of theirs as well. After things were still even, 7-7, through 10 rounds the teams began going through the PK takers a 2nd time.

Beatrice Currie converted for MC in the 11th round, but West Alabama was able to keep things alive.

Then came the pivotal 12th round. Avery Hederman put her PK home to give MC the edge. Then Makayla Hernandez made the save to send MC to the GSC championship.

The GSC Championship will be Sunday afternoon at 12:00 pm. The match will once again be at John Hunt Park.