VMI goalie Darien Dunham was the hero of the night for the visiting Keydets defeated UTC, 3-2, on penalty kicks in a Southern Conference women's soccer first round playoff match Wednesday night at Finley Stadium.
The VMI senior goalie scored the second goal during penalty kicks for a 2-2 tie and then stopped the final two UTC shot attempts as VMI advances to the SoCon quarterfinals against No.1 seeded Samford Saturday in Birmingham.
VMI improves to 6-12-2 overall and 2-7-0 in the SoCon, while UTC finishes the season at 4-12-3 overall and 2-6-1 in SoCon play. VMI had beaten UTC, 2-1, at Finley Oct.11.
Neither team scored in regulation nor in the two, 10 minute overtime periods.
In penalty kicks UTC went up 2-0 on goals by McKenzie Gregg and Skylar Brewer, only to have VMI even it at 2-2 on goals by Amy Horney and Dunham.
Demetra Protogyrou scored what proved to be the winning goal before Dunham stopped Peyton McCollum shot.
UTC had four chances to win in PKs, but Dunham made saves on shots by Emily Moseley with UTC up 2-1, and then Samantha Hogan's shot hit the cross bar and bounced away.
After each team had its allotment of five attempts (tied 2-2), Dunham saved a shot by Clare Latham and the aforementioned McCollum shot.
Both teams missed penalty kick attempts in regulation. UTC senior goalie Lauren Thomas stopped a shot in the 15th minute, while Dunham stopped UTC's attempt in the 25th minute.
UTC Coach Gavin McKinney Quotes
" I am extremely proud of our group and they have nothing to hang their heads about."
:VMI goalie Darien Dunham was fantastic tonight, made some big saves and also scored a goal in PKs so you have to tip your hat to her.:
"Looking at our season as a whole we have become competitive and we are going to get better and stronger."
VMI 0, UTC 0
(VMI won 3-2 on PKs)
VMI 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0
UTC 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0
Goals: VMI, 3-2 on Penalty Kicks
Shots: UTC, 16-10
Corner Kicks: UTC, 9-4
Fouls: UTC, 19-11
Offsides: UTC, 3-0
Goalies: VMI - Darien Dunham, 9 UTC - Lauren Thomas - 4
Penalty Kicks:
(first round has 5 attempts by each team)
VMI -