Middlebury, VT - The Misericordia University women's soccer team advanced to the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament with a penalty kick shootout win over Hardin-Simmons, Saturday in Middlebury, VT.
Michaela Fasolino scored the game-tying goal in the 88^th minute and Alexis Benedetto made two saves in the shootout.
Trailing 1-0, Misericordia forced overtime on Michaela Fasolino's goal in the 88^th minute.
With the Cougars' season on the line, Fasolino beat the keeper in front of the net after Kristen Ritter played the ball into the box from 25-yards out. Ritter sent a cross from the left side, which found the foot of Fasolino, who was breaking to the net from the opposite side.

Hardin-Simmons hadn't allowed a goal since Oct. 13.
Misericordia's last two regulation goals have come in the 88^th minute or later. Kendall Pearage scored in the 89^th minute in the previous round to defeat Johns Hopkins, 1-0.

Benedetto made two diving stops in the shootout to seal the victory for the Cougars while Hannah Larkin, Pearage, Kaylee Sturans and Ashley Edgell all found the net for MU.

In the penalty shootout, Benedetto denied All-American Kenne Kessler and Sarah Krisa with two diving stops.

Earlier in the game, Benedetto made a clutch save on a free kick from just outside the box to keep MU within a goal.  Kessler tried to play the ball low to the keeper's left side, but was denied by a diving Benedetto.

MU's sophomore keeper has continued to put together a spectacular postseason performance and tallied six saves in today's contest.
 
Misericordia controlled play in overtime with a 5-3 shots advantage. Pearage nearly won the game twice for the Cougars, but had one shot blocked and had the ball tackled away on another attempt.

The Cowgirls scored their lone goal in the 39^th minute courtesy of Elly Green. Kendall Groom played a cross into the box and connected with Green, who buried the shot low from the right side.

The Cougars ended the game with 16-13 shots advantage, but only tallied five shots on goal while Hardin-Simmons attempted seven.

Most of Misericordia's best chances occurred late in the game. The team attempted four of their five second half shots in the last five minutes of regulation.

In the 85^th minute, Fasolino had a shot blocked from center and Ritter ripped another shot high nerly a minute later.

Lauren Anderson had her shot blocked in the 88^th minute before Fasolino provided the equalizer 22-seconds later.

Earlier in the half, the Cougars had another quality scoring chance when Ritter played a free kick just wide of Pearage in the box. The All-MAC Defensive Player of the Year took the kick from 35-yards out, but played it just out of the reach of Pearage, who was cutting to the net from the weak side.

The Cougars, 17-2-2, face host Middlebury tomorrow at 1:00. The Panthers defeated Swarthmore, 2-0, in its Sweet 16 match-up to improve to 17-1-3 on the season.

MU's previous Elite Eight appearance was in 2012 when they topped Brandeis, 2-0, to advance to the Final Four.