ALISO VIEJO, Calif. – After playing to a 1-1 tie through 110 minutes of regulation and a pair of overtimes, Hope International lost to Soka in heartbreaking fashion, falling 3-2 in a penalty kick shootout in the GSAC Women's Soccer Championship First Round on Tuesday at The Den.
The Royals conclude their season at 6-8-2, while the Lions move to 8-5-5 and advance to Saturday's semifinals against No. 2 seed The Master's.
The Lions outshot HIU 13-3 for the game as the Royals took a defensive-minded approach. The two teams battled to a scoreless first half tie.
But HIU struck first just under seven minutes into the second half. Defender Charlie Grace made a long run up the right side and centered her cross into the 18-yard box, where Ana Pacheco latched onto it and rifled her shot into the net for her first goal of the season.
However, Soka found the equalizer just four minutes later as Sabrina Benjamin took advantage of an opening in the HIU defense, netting the goal off an assist from Arlene Yepez.
The Royals were unable to get off another shot following Pacheco's goal. Soka had six second half shots, none more dangerous than a Jonalynn Valles offering that hit the crossbar in the 62nd minute.
The two teams entered overtime looking for the sudden victory golden goal. Soka accounted for the only two shots in the extra periods, accounting for two in the second overtime, both saved by HIU goalie Victoria Ruiz.
Ruiz notched seven saves for the Royals.
In penalty kicks, Soka went first. Benjamin banged her attempt off the left post, but HIU's Karissa Frerichs did not convert as Lions goalie Jazlynn Camacho made the save.
In round two, Soka's Yepez and HIU's Angely Puga buried their shots as the shootout stayed level at 1-1.
Valles for Soka and Sukanya Sukpham for HIU also were successful on their attempts to keep the score tied at 2-2.
Soka left the door open as Sienna Manns pinged her shot off the left post on the team's fourth attempt. But the Royals missed their next attempt as Hypasha Garcia's shot was saved by Camacho.
Onto round five, Anahi Aranda found the left corner for the successful strike and a 3-2 Soka lead. HIU needed a Madelynn Valdez conversion to create another tie and send the shootout into a sixth round.
But Camacho made the save on Valdez's attempt to end the shootout, 3-2, in favor of the Lions.
