Story Courtesy of Bowling Green Athletic Communications
COLUMBUS, Ohio – O'Malley, as she has done all season, came up big on Tuesday afternoon (Nov. 4).
The sophomore goalkeeper saved two penalty kicks as the Bowling Green State University women's soccer team advanced past Miami University in the semifinal round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament at Historic Crew Stadium.
After the teams played 90 minutes of regulation and 20 more minutes of overtime without producing a goal, O'Malley put the Falcons on the front foot during the PK phase. Emme Butera converted BG's first try before O'Malley stopped an effort by MU's Kayla Perfect.
Each team scored in the next three rounds, as the sixth-seeded Falcons (10-2-9 [4-1-7 MAC]) got goals from Minah Syam, Emma Stransky and Ellie Pool, while the second-seeded RedHawks (11-5-3 [8-2-2 MAC]) responded with successful tries by Katie O'Malley, Shae Taylor and Millie Cook.
In the fifth round, MU 'keeper Dominique Popa guessed correctly and made a diving stop on Gabby Lamparty's shot. But, O'Malley countered with a diving save of her own, blocking Jaden Sink's effort to send the Falcons to the final.
The championship match is set for Friday evening (Nov. 4). BGSU will face either Ball State or Western Michigan.
BIG PLAYS / THINGS THAT HAPPENED
• After Emma Stransky was fouled in the 12th minute of play, Emme Butera took the ensuing free kick. The junior put a hard shot on goal from approximately 25 yards out, but Miami goalkeeper Dominique Popa was able to leap and tip the shot over the crossbar.
• Late in the opening half, Quinn O'Neil took a pass from Audrey Oliver and got past her defender. O'Neil took the ball along the end line before that Miami player knocked it out of play with a last-ditch sliding effort. Off of the ensuing corner kick, Oliver put a shot on frame, but it was saved by Popa.
• Eight minutes into the second half, Ellie Pool settled a Butera corner kick and put a shot on frame, but Popa was there to make the stop.
• With 16 minutes to go, Miami's Kayla Perfect was nearly in on goal all alone. But, as she cut the ball back to attempt to get past Taylor Green, Gabby Lamparty knocked the ball away at the top of the 18-yard box.
• With under 11 minutes remaining, the Falcons had a pair of shots, by Minah Syam and Butera, blocked within 15 seconds of one another.
• Miami's first shot on goal of the match came with under one minute left in the first overtime period, when Millie Cook hit a one-timer off of a right-side cross. Payton O'Malley made the save easily, before being fouled by another MU player.
• After a combined total of 10 shot attempts in the 110 minutes, the teams headed to the penalty-kick phase, where O'Malley and the Falcons, as mentioned, emerged on top.
