Round 5: Portland 0, Penn State 0 (4-3 PK)

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - After playing 110 minutes of scoreless soccer, the No. 1 Portland Pilots advanced past the No. 2 Penn State Nittany Lions 4-3 on penalty kicks in a College Cup semifinal match at Aggie Soccer Stadium on Friday. The Pilots will play for their second national title in four years on Sunday against UCLA, who defeated Florida State 4-0 in the other semifinal. The College Cup Final is scheduled for 10 a.m. (PST) and will be televised live on ESPN2.

The match is officially recorded as a tie, moving the Pilots to 22-0-2 on the season, while Penn State's season ends with a 23-0-2 record. The Pilots also eliminated the Nittany Lions in the 2002 College Cup semifinals before defeating Santa Clara in the title game. The two teams entered the contest as the only unbeaten squads in the nation.

The Nittany Lions shot first during the shootout as Tiffany Weimer found the net to give Penn State the early advantage. Redshirt-freshman phenom Megan Rapinoe calmly tied the shootout at 1-1 when she easily scored. Carmelina Moscato was next to shoot for the Lions, but UP junior goalie Cori Alexander made a save on a shot slightly to her right. PSU's senior goalie Erin McLeod, who finished a solid day with 10 saves, matched Alexander with a save on the next Portland PK from junior midfielder Lisa Sari. Penn State's Allie Long then found the net giving the Nittany Lions a 2-1 advantage, but Portland's Angie Woznuk quickly tied the shootout moments later. Alexander came up huge once again with a save on PSU's next attempt by Heather Tomko. Alexander made a diving, one-handed save that Tomko sent towards the left corner. UP senior Colleen Salisbury, who didn't play during regulation or the overtime periods, stepped up next and gave the Pilots a 3-2 edge when she went low and inside the left post. It marked the third time in Salisbury's career that she has come off of the bench and converted a PK in postseason play. Sheree Gray converted on the next PK for Penn State making it 3-3. Sinclair then had a chance to send the Pilots to the final with a converted penalty kick. She made good and sent the hundreds of UP faithful in the stands, as well as approximately 1,000 fans who had gathered to watch the match at the Chiles Center on the UP campus, into a frenzied celebration.

Both teams played tight defense in the first half, but it was the Pilots who controlled the run of play early. Portland attacked the Penn State goal often and had the first good look from Woznuk nine minutes into the match. Woznuk sent a chip shot from the top of the box towards the top right corner, but McLeod made a diving stop. The ball ended up back at Woznuk's feet and she ripped another shot towards the goal, this time the shot deflected off a Lion defender. Only moments later, Sinclair had her first good opportunity of the game when she got free just outside the 18-yard box. Sinclair punched a shot towards the far post with McLeod again making a diving save, sending the ball out of bounds.

In the 37th minute, Portland got its fourth shot on goal in the first half from senior midfielder Lindsey Huie. Sinlcair was looking to create just inside the penalty box about 12 yards out. The ball deflected off a defender right to an unmarked Huie who sent a bullet towards the near post, where a diving McLeod was able to make the save. Penn State managed four shots to the Pilots' eight in the first 45 minutes.

It was more of the same in the second half as UP kept up the pressure. With 36:30 left on the clock, Sinclair fed sophomore forward Natalie Budge, who fought through a couple of defenders into open space. Budge took a shot low and towards the left post from 12 yards out, but McLeod made yet another diving save.

Penn State had its best look of the game to that point on a free kick from just outside the penalty box in the 59th minute. Junior midfielder Jean Rettig went high with a bullet, but Alexander made a leaping save getting one hand on the ball to send it off the crossbar and out of bounds. The Lions had another good opportunity with another free kick with 4:40 left in the game. On the direct kick, Moscato sent a rocket towards the right post where Alexander made a diving, one-handed save forcing the ball out of bounds. It was the last serious threat on goal PSU would have the rest of the way.

Portland had a chance to end the game in regulation with the clock winding down. Huie got a good look from the middle of the box, but the shot was saved by McLeod with only four seconds left. The clock then expired sending the Pilots to their second overtime game this season.

Neither team was able to gain an advantage during the first 10-minute extra period with each team recording a single shot. The Pilots then took control late in the second sudden-victory overtime with two excellent looks from Sinclair. First, Sinclair took a feed from Huie and muscled her way through a couple PSU defenders to create a one-on-one opportunity with McLeod. Sinclair's shot from the middle of the box found McLeod's gloves. Then with less than two minutes remaining, Sinclair sent a brilliant shot towards the right post from just inside the left corner of the penalty box. McLeod watched helplessly as the shot deflected off the right post.

UP finished with a 20-12 advantage in shots and a 10-7 edged in shots on goal. Alexander finished with seven saves for the Pilots.