Boston College outlasts Virginia on PKs - ACC OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE

Nov. 4, 2009

CARY, N.C. – Regulation and two overtimes weren’t enough to decide the third Atlantic Coast Conference Women’s Soccer quarterfinal match on Wednesday night. It game down to penalty kicks, where second-seeded Boston College finally prevailed.

The Eagles advanced to the semifinals by outscoring seventh-seeded Virginia, 3-2, on PKs. BC goalkeeper Jillian Mastroianni made the deciding save on an attempt by the Cavaliers’ Meghan Lenczyk to send the Eagles (16-2-1) into Friday’s 7:30 p.m. semifinal match between the winner of Wednesday’s later game between third-seeded North Carolina and sixth-seed Maryland.

“When postseason comes around, we focus on PKs, those kinds of situations, in case it does come down to that,” Mastroianni said. “We came in pretty prepared. To win one like this gives us a big boost going into the next round with a lot of momentum.”

Each of Virginia’s last ACC Championship matches has been decided in overtime. The Cavaliers defeated Miami on penalty kicks and lost to North Carolina on PKs in 2007. Last year saw Virginia defeat Wake Forest 3-2 in overtime, then fall to Virginia Tech in a PK shootout.

Virginia and BC had battled to a 0-0 stalemate at the end of regulation during their regular-season meeting on Oct. 11 before the Eagles won in overtime, so neither side was surprised to find itself in a similar struggle.

“I thought it was a fantastic game,” said BC coach Alison Kulik. “The first time we saw UVa. this season, it was a back-and-forth game. I think it’s a matchup of two teams that play similar styles. It came down to PKs, and that’s a tough way to win a game, but we’re glad to be taking that next step.”

Boston College outshot Virginia 6-1 in the opening half and held a 3-0 edge in corner kicks, but four saves by Virginia keeper Chantel Jones helped the match remain scoreless at the break.

Virginia saw several chances thwarted in the final second four minutes of regulation. Mastroianni saved a shot by Jess Rostedt with 3:21 left in match, and an open shot by Meghan Lenczyk with 1:16 remaining hit the post.

“I thought we didn’t create enough and do enough offensively,” Virginia coach Steve Swanson said. “We have to take responsibility on that. It’s hard (when it comes down) to penalty kicks, because then it’s anybody’s game.”

Virginia (9-5-5) carried a four-match unbeaten streak into the tournament, and hopes to remain in good position for an NCAA Tournamet bid as its awaits next Monday night’s selections.

“It was a very good game for the crowd,” Swanson said. “I thought it was two very good teams going at it. It unfortunately came down to penalty kicks, and we didn’t perform too well.”