UCSB advances to NCAA Tournament in PKs

For the fourth straight season Long Beach State is leaving the decision of its first-ever NCAA Tournament in the hands of the selection committee.

UC Santa Barbara’s Alissa Sanchez scored the Big West Conference-clinching penalty kick to send the Gauchos to the NCAA Tournament on Sunday.

UCSB (12-6-3) advanced with a 6-5 decision in a penalty-kick shootout at George Allen Field to earn an automatic bid, while the 49ers (14-4-4) await their fate during today’s selection show.

The announcement will air from 5-5:30 p.m. on ESPNEWS and the team will host a viewing party at The Nugget.

“We have done enough to get in, so I’m looking forward to watching the show to see who and where we play,” head coach Mauricio Ingrassia said about the possible selection. “Hopefully the selection committee sees our season for what it is. Ten games without a loss in the Big West is not easy to do.”

Senior goalkeeper Breanna Truelove was in goal for the 49ers, instead of starter Liz Ramos, who played all 110 minutes.

“Truelove is an outstanding penalty kick saver in practice,” Ingrassia said. “Anytime your goalie saves two penalty kicks, it gives your team a good chance to win. A goalie saving one is good. Two is great.”

The score was 5-4 in the shootout with LBSU having to score a goal to extend the match.

Yeraldy Hurtado stepped up to take the kick and had an opening to get the ball past goalkeeper Ali Cutler but it caromed off the bottom left post.

“You can practice [penalty kicks] all you want in practice, but it’s hard to apply the same game-like situation pressure,” said 49ers’ senior Sara Baca.

The shootout took eight players for each team to decide a victor.

The second overtime did not provide any goals but it did provide plenty of scoring chances for the Beach.

With her back to the goal, Hayley Bolt nearly ended the game as she performed a bicycle-kick maneuver that was snagged by Cutler.

“I feel that anytime someone celebrates on our home-field, it burns,” Bolt said. “Seeing someone holding up the trophy on our homefield … it burns.”

UCSB responded to the LBSU scoring chance with one of its own, as Genelle Ives received the ball and passed it to Jacqui Simon in the middle of the field. Simon then hammered the ball on the ground towards the net, but Ramos dove and made the save.

The first overtime had a little less action than the second overtime but there were still plenty of scoring opportunities.

The best chance for LBSU was created by the playmaking of Kim Silos after she centered the ball to Lindsay Bullock at the top of the box. Bullock got a strong shot off but it went wide left of the goal.

The only two goals scored during regulation time happened in the second half of the game courtesy of USCB’s Alyssa Oldham and LBSU’s Dana Farquhar.

Simon centered the ball to Oldham, who headed the ball to the right side of the goal past a diving Ramos at the 51-minute mark for the first goal of the game.

Less than two minutes later, Farquhar responded for the Beach, scoring from the top of the box via a high arcing shot.

The scoring chances continued to pick up in the second half.

About five minutes after the goal by Farquhar, Bullock was tripped and LBSU was awarded a free kick. The kick was taken by Shawna Gordon but the ‘Niners couldn’t register a shot on net.

The 49ers continued to press the play, as Chantel Hubbard hammered the ball towards the goal.

The ‘Niners took multiple swipes but could not put it past Cutler.

LBSU kept the pressure on as they had another great scoring chance late in regulation.

Farquhar raced down the sideline to the right of the goal before centering the ball.

Bolt, with her back turned to the goal, attempted to head the ball in but it was punched away by Cutler. Mariko Strickland got the rebound and attempted a shot on goal but Kailyn Kugler blocked it away and ball sailed to the high left and over the goal.

The scoreless first half was characterized by stingy defense and physical play by both teams as there was a total of only three shots on goal — all by 49ers.