PULASKI, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee Southern women's soccer made their 21^st consecutive NAIA Championship appearance at Grissom Pitch on Saturday. The #4 Firehawks hosted the Mustangs of The Master's University in a second round matchup. UT Southern punched their ticket to The City of Five Flags with a 90^th minute goal.
The opening half was a chess match of two excellent defenses. The Master's led the shot count early, testing out Firehawk keeper Stephanie Hodgson in the sixth minute. She faced a pair of shots in the first 45 minutes recording a save on the lone shot on target. The Firehawk leading goal scoring trio, Maclani Michael, Keito Ido, and Marina Nawa, each had one shot in the period. Michael's attempt came in the eighth minute and it sailed high. Ido slashed her way through the Mustang defenders for an open look but her shot was blocked. Nawa fired a missile to the net, but it floated above the crossbar and out of play in the 43^rd minute. UTS led in shots at the break 3-2.
In the final half, offensive adjustments led to numerous opportunities to break the tie. The Firehawks chipped away at the Mustang defense in the early going as Miran Sakai blasted a shot into the box resulting in a save. Nawa had two great looks with 20 minutes left that resulted in saves. Over the next 15 minutes, Nao Katamoto and Sakai each would come up short in their attempts to break the tie. Hodgson continued racking up saves keeping the match knotted up at nil-nil.
In the final minute, the action and urgency began to pick up. The UTS attack pressed their way deep into the 18-yard box. With under a minute left, Nawa launched a shot off the crossbar that found its way to Katamoto's toe. With 30 seconds left, Katamoto without hesitation blasted the sphere into the net delivering the dagger to end the Mustang's season. For Katamoto it was her 17 two pointer of the year, and Nawa's 18 assist on the season.
Hodgson (11-1-1) faced two shots in the shutout win. She recorded a pair of saves.
NAIA CHAMPIONSHIP
With today's win, UT Southern advances to the NAIA Championship final site for the 12^th consecutive year spanning back to 2013.
The Firehawks will face #5 Aquinas in the third round on wither December 2^nd or 3^rd. Aquinas defeated Concordia-Nebraska today 4-nil.
NEXT UP
The Firehawks travel to Pensacola, Fla., to duke it out with #5 Aquinas University on either December 2^nd or 3^rd. The match will kickoff at seven p.m. at the Ashton Brosnaham Soccer Complex.
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