The Butler Grizzlies defeated the Cowley Tigers, 2-2 on penalty kicks in the Region VI Championship at Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita on Saturday.
With the win, the Grizzlies improved to 16-4-2 on the year, and punched their ticket to the NJCAA Div. I Soccer National Tournament and will head to Daytona, Fl November 15-20.
Cowley was the only team in the conference to beat the Grizzlies during the regular season, and the two teams went neck and neck with the season on the line. Cowley controlled possession early and had the greater chances in the first half, until Butler forced a corner in the 13th minute. Brooklyn Hunter sent the ball in and Kim McAlpine headed it into the net for her 20th goal of the season.
The two teams traded possession in a half that was tense throughout, before Kenzee Goodwin would assist Morgan Houston for the second goal of the game. Butler would take that 2-0 ead in the half.
Cowley came out and controlled possession, and they would find their first goal in the 60th minute, scored by Marta Aranda. Aranda would find her second goal of the game five minutes later as Cowley would equalize. The Tigers had the better chances in the half, but Butler weathered the storm, and the game would go to overtime tied at two goals apiece.
Butler's chance to win it in overtime rolled dangerously close to going in the net before going just wide, and the game, and the championship, would have to be decided by penalty kicks.
The Grizzlies had to battle adversity, missing the first penalty kick. But Cowley's first shot also missed, and Butler's goalkeeper Kyrah Klumpp would save a Tigers shot, and the final Cowley shot hit the post, to put the Grizzlies through and send the players and fans into chaos.
"We stayed together," head coach Adam Hunter said. "At this point in the year, if you can't defend, it's really hard to advance."
"They're talented," Hunter said, when asked what made his team a championship caliber team. "They're a very cohesive unit, so they've made our job easy to just bring them in and coach them and they go forward together."
