West Chester Wins PK Shootout To Advance In NCAAs

Box Score

WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Kara Novotny's penalty kick attempt sailed wide right on California (Pa.)'s fourth attempt, clinching victory for homestanding West Chester in the second round of the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Tournament at Rockwell Field Sunday afternoon.
 
West Chester (16-2-2) advances to the Atlantic Region Championship following its 4-2 edge in the penalty kick shootout. The Golden Rams will host West Virginia Wesleyan, who was also a winner in a penalty kick shootout over East Stroudsburg, next Friday, Nov. 21 at Rockwell Field at a time to be determined. Regulation and a pair of overtime periods ended in a 2-2 tie between the two PSAC institutions. Cal (12-4-6) saw its season come to a close with the loss.
 
The Golden Rams' first three shooters all converted their attempts against Cal keeper, Meghan Jayes. The Vulcans hit on their first two attempts. However, their third shooter banged her shot off the crossbar, leaving West Chester with a 3-2 advantage and two kicks left.
 
Katie Huber (Hatfield, Pa./North Penn) converted on WCU's next kick, before Novotny missed her attempt in the fourth round, sealing Cal's fate.
 
Cal forced the overtime when star striker Janelle McCann was taken down in the penalty area with three minutes left in regulation time. Chelsea Crockett stepped to the dot and converted the penalty kick to tie the game at 2-2. The Vulcans nearly won the match in the final eight seconds when WCU keeper Alex Srolis (Chester Springs, Pa./Downingtown East) made a diving save on a shot from McCann.
 
McCann opened the scoring in the 29th minute of the game when she went streaking down the middle of the field and dribbled past a pair of defenders to walk in all alone on Srolis. She slid her shot into the far right corner past a charging Srolis to give Cal a 1-0 lead.
 
West Chester tied the match in the 35th minute when Valenti made a nifty move at the top of the box and fired off a shot on goal. Jayes got a hand on the shot that was sailing over her head, and that was enough to make the ball hit the cross bar. However, the rebound went right to the foot of Cara Deola (Churchville, Pa./Council Rock South), who tapped the ball in.
 
Deola set up sophomore Kara Parvel (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall) three minutes into the second half to put West Chester on top, 2-1. Parvel went short-side on Jayes from close range while standing on the left post.
 
It was a wide-open affair for a postseason game. Cal outshot West Chester, 18-9, though many of the Vulcans' shots came from outside the box and were handled routinely by Srolis (16-2-2), who was credited with nine saves. Jayes (10-3-5) made four saves.
 
NOTES: It was the first time this year that West Chester has gone to PK's … the Golden Rams are now 3-2 all-time in the NCAA Tournament when the game is decided on penalty kicks, including a win over Cal at home in 2010 … West Chester moves to 12-9-5 all-time in the NCAA Division II Tournament and 6-6-4 under current head coach Betty Ann Kempf Townsley … the Golden Rams advance to the NCAA Quarterfinal for the third time in the last five years … West Chester will play for the Atlantic Region title for the sixth time in school history … the Golden Rams have won the Atlantic Region championship five times (2005, 2006, 2007, 2010 and 2012).