NEWBERRY - No. 7 seeded Lenoir-Rhyne advanced past No. 2 seeded Newberry College on penalty kicks in the first round of the Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Women's Soccer Tournament Wednesday afternoon. The Lady Indians and Bears fought to a 1-1 tie at the end of 110 minutes, sending the game to a penalty kick shootout.

Newberry fell down, 1-0 just 40 seconds into the game when Lenoir-Rhyne's Ariel Thompson connected on her first goal of the season. The Bears played the ball into the right corner where Thompson collected it and found some space for a shot to the far post. The ball flew just over the outstretched hands of Newberry keeper Danielle Beckerle (St. Louis, Mo.) and into the goal.

Newberry appeared to get the equalizing goal just three minutes later when Mandi Butler (Holly Springs, N.C.) shot a ball past Bears' keeper Nicole Ley. The ball hit off the far post and rolled along the goal line, but it was cleared off the line by Ley before it ever crossed.

Newberry managed six shots in the first half including four on goal, but the Lady Indians were unable to push one across and the match headed to the break with Lenoir-Rhyne still leading 1-0.

The Bears' seemed to be on the verge of extending their lead early in the second half when Beckerle came out of goal to field a ball in the 53rd minute. Beckerle ran into a Lenoir-Rhyne player, causing her to drop the ball as she fell to the ground. Whitney Cline got the ball with an empty net in front of her and took a shot from the left side of the penalty area, but Greta Hewett (Charleston, S.C.) came in from her defender position to save the shot and preserve the one goal deficit.

The Lady Indians finally managed to pull even in the 56th minute when Inga Woiwode (El Paso, Texas) connected on her third goal in two games. In a play that was reminiscent of her first one against Carson-Newman, Woiwode received the ball on the left side of the box and one touched a shot to the far post, the ball sailed in to tie the game at 1-all. Adriana Farfan (W. Palm Beach, Fla.) earned the assist on the play.

In the 63rd minute, Newberry appeared to take the lead as Woiwode connected on a point blank shot from inside the 6-yard box but the goal was waved off on an offsides call.  Two minute later Woiwode again took a shot from inside the 6-yard box, but Ley managed to just get her hand on it to preserve the tie.

With the score still tied at one at the end of regulation, the two teams headed into extra time.

In the extra periods both teams managed to put shots on goal but neither was able to connect for the "Golden Goal."

After 110 minutes of hard fought soccer the score remained tied 1-1, necessitating a penalty kick shootout to determine who would advance to the SAC Tournament semifinals.

Lenoir-Rhyne outscored Newberry 3-1 in the shootout as Ley made two saves to help propel the Bears into the semifinals.

"I am extremely proud of all the team, and what we have accomplished this year," said Head Coach Juan Favero. "Even though it is difficult to end a season on the lottery of penalty kicks, I know our players left everything out on the field today and I can't ask for anything more as a coach."

It was fitting that Newberry's final game of the season ended in a double overtime tie as the Lady Indians have played in 10 overtime games this season, a new NCAA Division II record.

The tie marked the last match for the 11 seniors who have been the cornerstone of Newberry women's soccer for the past four years and who have helped to advance Newberry to it's current heights.

"I am especially thankful for the 11 seniors who have given their heart and soul to this program and are the foundation of the incredible turnaround the program has experienced," said Favero. "They are a special group of young women and Newberry College and the Lady Indians have been blessed to have them here."