WASHINGTON, D.C. — Seventh-seeded West Virginia survived a penalty shootout thriller Thursday, eliminating second-seeded Georgetown after a 1-1 draw in the NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship before 834 at Shaw Field.
Ajanae Respass gave the Mountaineers a 27th-minute lead off Taylor White's assist, but Georgetown's Lizzie Heller equalized in the 67th minute to force overtime. Neither team could find a winner through two extra periods despite West Virginia's 14-8 edge in shots on goal.
The shootout proved decisive. Anna Hauer and Nyema Ingleton converted for West Virginia, while Georgetown's Maja Lardner missed wide left and Ava Arnold struck the crossbar on the final attempt. The Hoyas managed just three successful penalties from five attempts, ending their tournament run despite controlling possession for long stretches.
Georgetown outshot West Virginia 13-14 overall while earning six corners to the Mountaineers' two, but couldn't capitalize on their second-half momentum. The higher-seeded hosts paid the ultimate price for failing to convert territorial advantage into goals.
West Virginia's composure under pressure propelled the seventh seed into the next round, proving once again that tournament success demands more than regular-season pedigree.