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Radford University Athletics

Home Of The RadFord Highlanders RadFord Highlanders
Perez
3
Winner Radford RAD (15-5-0, 7-3-0)
2
Campbell CAM (12-5-2, 8-1-1)
Winner
Radford RAD
(15-5-0, 7-3-0)
3
Final
2
Campbell CAM
(12-5-2, 8-1-1)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 OT 1 OT 2 F
Radford RAD 0 2 0 1 3
Campbell CAM 1 1 0 0 2

Game Recap: Women's Soccer |

THREE UNANSWERED GOALS PROPEL RADFORD PAST CAMPBELL IN BIG SOUTH SEMIFINALS

MATTHEWS, N.C. – There was never any quit in the Radford women's soccer team on Thursday night as three unanswered goals carried the Highlanders past No. 2 Campbell, 3-2, in the Big South Tournament Semifinals.
 
Nelia Perez scored her team-leading 12th goal of the season and none have been bigger than the one that came in the 103rd minute on Thursday. With the match tied at two, Perez corralled the ball out of a scrum five yards away from the goal. She turned to her right, saw an open net and finished for the golden goal.
 
The Highlander bench erupted in celebration as the score placed Radford in its second Big South Final appearance in the last two years. The Camels didn't make it easy for the Highlanders, after taking a two goal lead with 37 minutes left to play in regulation.
 
Radford showed resiliency and competed at an even higher level knowing the season was on the line. That showed in the 62nd minute when Alexeis Kirnos cut the deficit to one with a goal.
 
The ball bounced right to the freshman after Lily McLane crossed the ball into the box and it deflected off the Camel goalkeeper. Kirnos fired the shot with her right foot to the left side of the goal giving Reaghan Duval no chance to make a save.
 
Still behind by a goal, time was another opponent for the Highlanders on Thursday night. With 10 minutes to play Gabi Paupst had a look at goal from 16 yards out. She fired a shot at the net but Duval came up with a huge save to keep the lead, but fans could feel that wasn't the only scoring chance the Highlanders would create.
 
Just two minutes later - in the 82nd minute - McLane booted the ball from the far-right corner for the Highlanders fourth corner kick of the half. It found one of the tallest players on the field, who was also named Big South Defensive Player of the Year a week ago – Kayla Thomas. She got a head on the ball and rocketed it to the back of the net for the game-tying goal.
 
Campbell took a shot just 19 seconds after the Highlanders' goal but Courtenay Kaplan came up with the save. It was a foreshadowing of what was to come in the first overtime. Just 30 seconds into the period the Camels took two quick shots. The Big South Attacking Player of the Year, Alexa Genas, already had one goal in the match and ripped a shot trying to claim her second. However, Kaplan came up clutch once more with her fourth save of the night. The senior finished with five total saves.
 
Kaplan had to withstand four shots and four corner kicks in the final period until Perez notched the game-winner giving Radford its biggest comeback victory of the season.
 
STAT OF THE MATCH
Campbell outshot the Highlanders 17-11 in the semifinal match, including 11-5 in the second half and first overtime period combined. However, Radford was efficient with three goals on 11 shots on the night.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Paupst and Perez led the Highlanders with three shots each, while Campbell's Katie Lockwood led all players with four. The match was highlighted by the Big South Attacking and Defensive Players of the Year each scoring goals.
 
TWEET OF THE MATCH  
QUOTABLE
"Wow! I'm so proud of my team for their determination and resiliency," Ben Sohrabi stated. "That was one of the most exciting comebacks I've ever been a part of especially for a conference semifinal. We showed grit and heart and found a way. Lots of credit to Campbell for going up 2-0. Their forwards are incredibly good. Set pieces decide games and we scored on three of them. Now it's on to the final!"
 
UP NEXT
The stage is set. It will be a rematch of the 2018 Big South Tournament Final as No. 3 Radford will take on No. 4 Gardner-Webb on Sunday at 2 p.m., inside the Sportsplex at Matthews.
 
FOLLOW WOMEN'S SOCCER ON SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on the Radford women's soccer team follow @RadfordWSOC on Twitter and Instagram or Radford Women's Soccer on Facebook.
 
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