BOX SCORE
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CHARLESTON, S.C. – Sahar Aflaki (Gainesville, Va./Battlefield) found the back of the net for the fourth straight game and the top-seeded Radford women's soccer advanced past No. 8 UNC Asheville in a penalty shootout, 3-2, Thursday afternoon at Blackbaud Stadium in the quarterfinals of the 2011 Big South Tournament. 
 
Tied at 1-1 after the two overtime periods, the teams went into a penalty shootout, where coming in Radford was 0-4 all-time in that situation, including a 0-3 mark at Blackbaud Stadium. 
 
Che' Brown (Manassas Park, Va./Manassas Park) entered the game during the shootout after teammate Lisa Lubke (Columbus, Ohio/St. Francis DeSales) defended the net during regulation and the two overtimes.  Brown blocked the first two Asheville attempts and a third shot on the fourth try. 
 
Tied at two goals apiece courtesy of successful strikes by Caitlin Kick (Leesburg, Va./Heritage) and Sydney Golden (Lexington, Ky./Paul L. Dunbar), the game rested on the final kick by Rachel Conway (Ontario, Canada/Forset Heights Collegiate).  Conway took two steps and found the back of the net to advance the Highlanders to the semifinals for the first time since 2009.
 
“It was an exciting win, the first time I've won in PK's in my 16 years at Radford,” said head coach Ben Sohrabi.  I give a lot of credit to UNC Asheville and Michelle Demko because she has done a tremendous job with her team.  It was a scary matchup going in even though it was No. 1 vs. No. 8 and it was good to see our goalkeepers come up big again.”
 
Moving to a starting role today, Aflaki's strike from the far side came 71:25 into the match.  With a defender on her hip, Aflaki turned inside and fired a shot that went just under the diving Bulldogs' keeper Heather Muller.  It was her fifth goal in the last four games. 
 
Just 1:13 later, Julie Ruh'e (Monrovia, Md./Urbana) had two opportunities to put the game away from six yards out but Muller stopped each attempt.
 
Shortly thereafter, UNC Asheville countered with the equalizer at 74:01 when Kaitlyn Eckert lofted a shot from the near side and found the right side of the net.
 
Each team posted 17 shots.  Lubke had seven saves for the day while Muller stopped 12 shots.
 
The Highlanders will take on No. 5 Liberty Friday afternoon at 4:30 p.m.  Liberty defeated High Point, 2-1 - also in overtime.