Bulldogs Walk-Off Eagles In Sudden Death Penalty Kicks, Advance to NCAA Regional Semi's

Postgame Highlights & Comments:
Coach Greg Henson 
Isabella Sabo 
Nikki May 

Cedarville, Ohio - For the second time in program history, the Ferris State University women's soccer team has advanced to the NCAA Midwest Regional Semifinals, tying the Ashland Eagles 1-1 and advancing on penalty kicks, after 110 minutes and a heart-stopping nine-round penalty kick session where the Bulldogs won 7-6 on junior Isabella Sabo's attempt on Thursday (Nov. 10) in Cedarville, Ohio.

The Eagles jumped in front late in the first half at 37:25 when Leiah Goedde scored for a 1-0 Ashland lead on a shot that Ferris State sophomore goalkeeper Darya Mosallaei nearly fought off.

Early in the second half, the Bulldogs responded, evening the game at 1-1. Ferris State senior Nikki May volleyed a bomb for the top left corner from outside the box for her third goal of the campaign, just 2:44 into the second half.

Ferris State had the run of play all the way through the two overtime periods, but narrowly missed taking the lead twice and the game moved to penalty kicks. 

The Bulldogs went down 2-0 early, but clawed back when senior Isabella Zamborini scored in the second round. The Bulldogs tied it after Ashland's McKinley Mendenhall was denied by Mosallaei and May scored in the third round to tie it at 2-2. 

Ferris State saved itself after going back behind a goal in the bottom of the fifth round on senior Jessie Bandyk's goal, the bottom of the sixth on freshman Ella Wolf's tally, and the bottom of the eighth when senior Brinley Bell powered the ball through Ashland keeper Bri Rogers to tie it at 6-6.

The Eagles missed their ninth attempt, and tied at 6-6, Sabo came up for the Bulldogs. Sabo went high left as Rogers fell backwards to walk-off the Eagles in the fourth full round of suddden death penalty kicks, advancing the Bulldogs to the Midwest Regional Semifinal for the first time since 2018.

The game officially goes down as a draw, as Mosallaei picked up the tie on three saves, while Ashland's Rogers was credited with one stop and the game-tying goal allowed.

Ferris State will face off with the winner of host and second-seeded Cedarville and seventh-seeded McKendree on Saturday (Nov. 12) at 3 p.m. (ET) at Cedarville with a chance to make their first regional championship game since 2018.