FORT MYERS, Fla. – Top-seeded Florida Gulf Coast Univerity women's soccer dropped a heartbreaking Atlantic Sun Conference semifinal matchup Thursday in overtime 2-1 against No. 5 Eastern Kentucky at Pickering Field.
"Disappointed in the way it ends," head coach Jim Blankenship said. "I thought we had great chances. Credit to them. They withstood some pressure and the adjustments they made were good. The pressure of it mounted, and they buried a chance that they got in overtime."
FGCU's 2024 ASUN regular season championship season and its quest for a three-peat comes to a close at 11-6-2 overall. The Eagles have won 10 or more matches in 17 of 18 seasons as a program.
Eastern Kentucky advances to the championship match on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Pickering Field. The Colonels will meet No. 3 Lipscomb in the finals as the Bisons produced a 7-0 stampede in the first semifinal game of the day over No. 2 Central Arkansas. Only two No. 1 seeds have won the ASUN Tournament in the last five tries.
The Colonels made the Eagles play their style of soccer, edging FGCU in total shots 15-14 and eventually wore out the Green and Blue back line. Nine of EKU's 15 shots occurred during its mounting second-half pressure. Ninety minutes Thursday was not enough to determine who advanced to the ASUN Championship match.
The game-winning goal in the ninth minute of the first overtime period and 99th of the game, witnessed an Eagle turnover near midfield that was played up and through two separated FGCU defenders. EKU's Ana Manning had enough gas left in the tank to beat the Eagles to the ball and provided a flick over a charging Olivia Molina.
Molina finished two saves away from tying the program's single-season save mark of 117, a record she set as a freshman a year ago. She recorded six saves on Thursday, Entering the match, Molina needed eight to tie and nine to break the record again.
In the 35th minute, Erika Zschuppe scored her 12th goal of the season to lift the Eagles to a one-goal advantage at the break. The EKU equalizer occurred in the 52nd minute off a free kick header. A would-be Colonel game-tying goal was waived off the board late in the first half due to an offsides call. The officials reviewed the play, and the views were inclusive; therefore, the original no-goal call stood on the field.
Another video review occurred in the 56th minute as Ashley Labbe received heavy contact inside the box. Yet again, the no-foul call on the field was upheld, eliminating the Eagles' hopes at a penalty kick opportunity. Seven different Eagles fired a shot Thursday as Zschuppe paved the way with five.
In the 63rd minute, Zschuppe stepped up to take a free kick near the top of the 18-yard box, looking to put the Eagles back in front but her shot attempt curled just wide of the post.
