DePaul University Blue Demons – Official Athletics Website

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – DePaul women’s soccer advanced to the BIG EAST semifinals with an 8-7 penalty shootout after an overtime tie against Butler on Sunday night. After a 3-3 score in regular time, the teams fought each other in two overtime periods but were unable to achieve a result. In the shootout, DePaul and Butler were tied, scoring seven straight PK goals. But after an eighth attempt by the Blue Demons, the Bulldogs hit the post for a win-or-go-home chance and fell to DePaul after a nearly three-hour battle between conference opponents.

“This team continues to prove they never give up,” said head coach Michele O’Brien. “The ability to score three goals in conference play is great for us – I thought it was a step in the right direction. It proves to our team that we can absolutely score goals and come out on top in games. We would like to do that.” “Sometimes we are a little more determined and sharper in our defensive area, really paying attention to every moment and are a little tighter with our marking in the penalty area,” said coach O’Brien.

With the PK draw, DePaul (5-7-7, 3-3-4 BIG EAST) secured its first shot at the BIG EAST semifinals since 2016, where it received the No. 1 seed and automatically qualified for the second round. The result also marks the first time in a decade that the Blue Demons have advanced to a follow-up round following a tie or win, since DePaul won its first BIG EAST Championship in 2014.

“To play under the pressure of all those penalties and have eight kids score eight goals is really impressive,” Coach O’Brien said. “This shows once again what pressure they can handle. If they are focused on the moment, there isn’t much to distract them in the moment. I think we’re in really good shape heading into Thursday night’s game.”

After securing its highest conference tournament seeding since 2021, Butler (10-4-5, 5-2-3 BIG EAST) was eliminated from the first round of the BIG EAST Championships for the third straight year. The Bulldogs trailed 2-0 in the 49th minute but staged a comeback, tying the game in the 70th minute and tying the score again in the final six minutes. Nevertheless, the Blue Demons were able to win the match in the shootout.

How it happened

The Blue Demons controlled the first ten minutes of the game with a Ph.D Beth Smyth attempted two shots before the eight-minute mark.

Butler scored his first corner kick in the ninth minute and almost had a scoring opportunity with an attempted shot from Amelie Darey deep in the penalty area, but was unable to take advantage and narrowly missed the post on the left.

DePaul and Butler played more aggressively on the offensive side of the ball and both pressed forward in the attacking third, trading possession in the first 15 minutes.

In the 20th minute, the Bulldogs fired three shots over four minutes and came incredibly close for DePaul’s liking, but each shot was either blocked or missed the target.

In the 32nd minute, DePaul made a substitution to bring in the secondary player Tessa Fagersonand just three minutes later, she scored her first career goal on a beautiful shot from a freshman Katelyn Jamiewhich also marks Jamie’s first career assistant.

A shot attempt by Butler in the 41st minute was blocked, ending a back-and-forth half that saw the Blue Demons lead by one.

Two shots from Butler missed early in the second half, and Milam made her first two saves of the game in the 47th and 48th minutes, respectively.

In the case of a breakaway, about thirty seconds later Leah Eisenring sent Freya Jupp a lead pass into the goal area. Anna Pierce tried to get forward to pass the ball, but Jupp hit a ball into the net, giving DePaul its second 2-0 lead in a week after defeating St. John’s on Sunday, Oct. 27 had. at home.

After 50 minutes, the Bulldogs took over the momentum and attempted two more corners and three shots until they scored their first goal in the 58th minute. Butler’s first goal came on a corner cross from Abigail Isger to Caitlin O’Malley, her first goal of the season, which put the Bulldogs within striking distance, 2-1.

Leila Lister, supporting her team, attempted three shots in six minutes, missing the first two but scoring on the third. Their goal in the 67th minute came from a deflected cross, with Lea Larouche directing the pass from her back to Lister for the equalizer and Butler’s second goal in nine minutes.

Given a 2-on-1 chance for DePaul, Briley Hill received a lead pass from Tessa Fagersonand Pierce, who wanted to defend and clear the ball, ran five meters beyond the goal area. Hill applied just enough finesse to the shot attempt to roll the ball a few feet into the right post and give DePaul the lead again.

The two teams exchanged more shots, but the Bulldogs capitalized on their last chance to score with Talia Sommer equalizing in the 84th minute. Two shots from DePaul followed, but neither team was able to score a game-winning goal in regulation time.

Overtime rules for BIG EAST postseason play include a golden goal scenario with two 10-minute overtimes if necessary.

To start overtime, it seemed like a sure breakaway for DePaul in the 93rd minute when Jupp, who had just time to beat the goalie, was tripped by the goalie in the penalty area, but no penalty was awarded.

On the Blue Demons’ last chance to score in the first overtime, Eisenring parried the ball and set it up for a shot, but her attempt from the PK line sailed over the goal.

With ten seconds left in the first overtime, Butler sent a deflected shot at Milam and used her fingertips to keep the Bulldogs from going home happy.

In the 103rd minute, Butler had a chance to move forward by firing a shot just off the right post, but it flew away. The Bulldogs missed two more shots before the horn sounded for the final time.

As time expired, the game devolved into a penalty shootout, with both sides scoring seven tries in a row. After the fifth round, the shootout entered a high-stakes phase where every missed shot was crucial to the outcome.

Tessa Fagerson, Natalie MooreAnd Susie Soderstrom Hit the Blue Demons’ sixth, seventh and eighth PK. Butler’s Lucia Englund lined up her kick but hit the crossbar, marking the end of DePaul’s longest game of the season and the end of the Bulldogs’ 2024 season.

Game notes

• DePaul advanced to the BIG EAST Conference semifinals for the first time since 2016 after receiving an automatic bid as the No. 1 seed.
• The Blue Demons advanced to the BIG EAST Tournament for the first time by one game finish since 2014, when DePaul won its first BIG EAST Championship.
• DePaul advanced to the BIG EAST tournament via a penalty victory for the first time in program history.
• The last time a six seed won the conference tournament was in 2015, when sixth seed Providence defeated three seed DePaul at Wish Field on November 3, 2015, when head coach Michele O’Brien was in her seventh year as an assistant coach .
• Four of Milam’s seven saves came in the two overtimes, covering just 18% of the playing time.
• Penalty goals: Junior midfielder Nahla DominguezGraduate midfielder Beth SmythEisenring, Jupp, second-year midfielder Shayna da SilvaFagerson, senior midfielder Natalie Mooreand senior striker Susie Soderstrom scored a goal for DePaul.
• DePaul scored its highest point total of any game this season with nine points and secured three goals and three assists.
• The Blue Demons allowed Butler to take 26 shots, more than any other opponent this season.
• Tessa Fagerson scored her first career goal.
• Katelyn Jamie received her first career assistantship.
• Senior hitting the field for the first time this season Natalie Moore knocked down DePaul’s seventh (of eight) PKs.
• Freya Jupp scored her sixth goal of the season, a Blue Demon-high.
• Leah Eisenring picked up her third assist of the season, the most of any Blue Demons.
• Leila Lister attempted ten shots, the most ever allowed by a person against DePaul.

NEXT

No. 6 DePaul will face No. 2 Xavier in the semifinal round of the 2024 BIG EAST Championships on Nov. 7. First contact is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. CT in Boyds, Maryland.

Impact on the BIG EAST tournament

The semifinal winners will play the title game on Sunday, November 10th. Sunday’s game begins at 11 a.m. at the Maryland SoccerPlex and will air on FS1. The winner of the BIG EAST Championship receives the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. For more information on the BIG EAST Championship, visit Championship Central HERE.

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