TEXARKANA, Texas – The Louisiana State University of Alexandria women's soccer team battled back from a 2-0 deficit in the final 10 minutes, but fell on penalties, to Xavier in the Red River Athletic Conference Championship Final.
 
"Our tournament had some ups and downs," LSUA Head Coach Mark Hammond said. "Going back to the Quarterfinal, there were goals going in that don't usually go in. For the girls to show the attitude and desire to pull back down two goals with 12 or 13 minutes left in the final against a really good side, no other team pulls it back to 2-2 to force extra time. For the five girls who took penalties, I would give them the opportunity to take those penalties again, every time."
 
The Gold Nuggets struck early, taking in the lead in the second minute. A shot, curled in from the wing off a corner kick, hit the inside of the post and went over the line.
 
LSUA responded with a shot of their own from Hille Baumfalk, but she was turned away. A minute later, Victoria Weber made her first save of the contest.
 
Fenja Leibner tried her luck at goal from range in the ninth minute, but was rebuffed. Leibner had the Generals' next opportunity, in the 31^st minute, and again was stymied by the keeper.
 
Weber made a pair of saves in the 40^th and 43^rd minutes to keep the score at 1-0 heading into half time.
 
Less than 90 seconds into the second half, Weber was called on to make another stop. A headed effort from Alexia Bermejo Jo was grabbed by XULA's keeper in the 60th minute.
 
The Gold Nuggets found an insurance marker in the 75^th minute, taking a 2-0 lead.
 
Five minutes later, the Generals cut the deficit in half. Micaela Nunes slipped a through ball behind the Gold Nuggets' back line to the foot of Ksenija Pavlovic in the 81^st minute. Pavlovic beat the keeper with her shot, making the game 2-1.
 
After a pair of shots from Baumfalk and Remmie Ferla were blocked, Bermejo Jo levelled the score in the 83^rd minute. She headed a chance home for the equalizer.
 
Weber came up big again for LSUA in the 86^th minute, keeping out another chance at goal from XULA. The Generals had the final chance of regulation in the 88^th minute when Sacha Backus was denied.
 
Each side had one shot in the first extra period, XULA's on goal but Weber made the save to keep the game alive. Bermejo Jo nearly ended the contest in the second overtime period, but was turned away. Another stop from Weber in the 107^th minute sent the game to penalties.
 
During the penalty shootout, each keeper made a trio of saves as XULA came away with a 2-1 edge.