NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Varin Ness' winner in the 106th minute completed a thrilling 3-2 come-from-behind victory Sunday afternoon over Lipscomb, sending the FGCU women's soccer team to its sixth NCAA Tournament in seven years. The Eagles (14-3-1) fell behind 2-0 to the Bisons (9-7-3) but stormed back with two goals in the second half before Ness' winner in the second overtime period to become the first ASUN program to reach four consecutive NCAA Tournaments.

Trailing 2-0, Holly Fritz (Cape Coral, Fla./Mariner HS/Florida State) pulled one back before Camille Knudstrup (Lakeland, Fla./George Jenkins HS) leveled the match 74 minutes in. With less than five minutes remaining in the second overtime, Ness (Sogndal, Norway/Sogndal Vidaregåande Skule/Carson Newman) gathered a long ball from Ashley Parks (St. Louis, Mo./Lafayette HS) and put away her eighth goal of the season and her fourth match-winner.

"It wasn't easy but sometimes that makes it feel even better," said head coach Jim Blankenship following his program's 13th ASUN Tournament match victory. "I'm proud of our guys. It wasn't the start we wanted but we talked a lot about trust at halftime and staying within the system. I challenged them by saying this was the first team to have to go on the road, so let's be the first to come back. Our character and mentality were phenomenal tonight."

The instant classic witnessed FGCU outshoot the Bisons 23-11 and both teams combine for 35 fouls.

The Eagles will find out their opponent in the 2017 NCAA Tournament tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. during the selection show. Media and public are invited to attend. The latest crown, combined with the regular season title, have increased FGCU athletics' total to 65 regular season championships and 31 tournament titles.

"When we lost at home it was a heavy blow to them and they took it hard," Blankenship said of his seniors. "You could see the weight on them and they knew if we were going to go down, we were going down as one. That's why they're our leaders and why this program has been so successful."

Fritz's goal in the 61st minute breathed life into the Green and Blue. Marjorie Boilesen (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Porto Seguro/West Florida) started the attack, finding space along the left side and taking it along the end line. Boilesen picked out Fritz at the far post and the Cape Coral native buried her fifth goal of the year to make it 2-1.

With less than 17 minutes left in regulation, Lauren Greene (Lakeland, Fla./George Jenkins HS) was brought down on the right side of the field, giving the Eagles a set piece opportunity. Boilesen's delivery into the box skipped past a slew of players before Knudstrup volleyed it beyond Kate Mason to bring the Eagles on level terms.

FGCU nearly had a winner in the 80th minute following a cleared corner. Fritz's service was cleared away but only as far as Parks who picked out a wide-open Lindsey Patton (Jacksonville, Fla./Oakleaf HS). The sophomore headed it toward the far post where Mason made a sprawling save to keep the match at 2-2.

The Eagles had a pair of chances late in regulation to grab a late winner but settled for a dramatic overtime session.

After FGCU defended multiple Lipscomb set pieces, Knudstrup sprung Ness with a great through ball but the Norwegian watched her shot go wide of goal. Her second chance came with less than five minutes to go before penalty kicks when Ness was on the receiving end of a fantastic ball from Parks and made no mistake, sliding it beyond Mason.

The Green and Blue had their chances in the first half, including a Greene strike from distance that was destined for goal but it missed the mark. Just before that, Kundstrup almost put away a chance on a corner, only for it to be cleared off the line.

Following the match, Parks, Nikki Hudson (Baltimore, Md./Roland Park County School/Rutgers), Fritz and Ness were named to the All-Tournament Team with Ness being named the MVP.

2017 ASUN Women's Soccer All-Tournament Team
Varin Ness, FGCU - ASUN Tournament MVP
Holly Fritz, FGCU
Nikki Hudson, FGCU
Ashley Parks, FGCU
Jade Abarca, Lipscomb
Ellen Lundy, Lipscomb
Niamh Rawlins, Lipscomb
Sope Akindoju, Jacksonville
Brittany Hundley, Jacksonville
Abby Roth, Kennesaw State
Tiffany Sornpao, Kennesaw State 

FOLLOW ALONG
For constant, news, photos, videos and updates you can follow the women's soccer team on Twitter @FGCU_WSoccer, on Instagram @FGCU_WSoccer or on Facebook: Facebook.com/FGCUWSoccer. You can also find FGCU athletics on YouTube by visiting YouTube.com/FGCUEagles.
 
IRMA RELIEF DONATIONS
In the wake of Hurricane Irma, many individuals and families throughout Southwest Florida are still in desperate need of assistance. To aid in those relief efforts, FGCU Athletics will be collecting donations at all Eagle home games for the immediate future. Donation items most needed include: non-perishable food, clothing, household items and first-aid supplies. Additionally, those unable to attend upcoming home games can drop off donations in canisters located in the Alico Arena lobby. All donations will be given to those hardest hit in Lee and Collier counties.
 
COACH JIM BLANKENSHIP
A veteran of over two decades in collegiate coaching, head coach Jim Blankenship, who was named the ASUN Coach of the Year in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, has built FGCU women's soccer into a yearly contender in the ASUN Conference and a rising program in the South Region in just 10 seasons. Blankenship started the program in 2007 and has since guided the Eagles to 11 double-digit win seasons, culminating with ASUN Regular Season Championships in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. In 2011 and 2012 he also led the Eagles to back-to-back ASUN Tournament titles and became the first team in the history of the university to make it to the NCAA Tournament. The Eagles went on to win the 2014 ASUN Tournament and hosted the first NCAA Championship event on campus. The Eagles earned their fourth NCAA Tournament appearance with the 2015 ASUN Tournament Championship and won their first NCAA game at USF in 2015 while finishing 24th in the nation. In 2016, the Eagles made it three-consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament with a third-straight ASUN Tournament title. Blankenship has guided FGCU to a 143-50-21 (71.1 W%) overall record through the first 11 seasons of the program's existence, including a 71-11-14 (81.1 W%) mark in the ASUN. Blankenship's impressive career record of 383-121-32 (74.2 W%) over 25 seasons has come while leading FGCU, the University of Miami, Lynn University and St. Thomas University.
 
#FEEDFGCU
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.