SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The Oregon Tech Lady Owls (12-1-1) played a 110 minute stalemate with Eastern Oregon (9-1-2) but ultimately fell on penalty kicks. With a spot in the NAIA National Tournament on the line, the Santa Barbara Regional Final did not disappoint. Unfortunately, it was the Mountaineers who claimed the victory and their 3rd straight trip to Alabama.
 
The Lady Owls and Lady Mountaineers played a defensive stalemate in the first half.
 
Each side did not seriously test the others goalkeeper, but it was Tech who had the better chances of the two for the first 45 minutes.
 
Mehana Ortiz was testing the ability of Savannah Hutchinson early on. Ortiz shot a few of her specialty longshots, but they were just high or just wide of the EOU goal.
 
In the second half, EOU generated some more opportunities but the match continued to remain a stalemate.
 
The biggest chances of the match came consecutively and for Tech in the final 10 minutes.
 
In the 81st minute, OIT took a corner and attempted to redirect the cross towards goal. However, a world-class save from Hutchinson denied the possible game-winner for the Lady Owls.
 
In the 85th Minute, Nyah Kendall drew a foul in the box, earning a penalty kick for Tech.
 
Unfortunately, Maddie Miller couldn't generate enough power behind the spot kick, making a comfortable save for Hutchinson.
 
While Hutchinson had made the key saves for EOU in the contest, Burkhartzmeyer also made some class saves to keep EOU scoreless on the afternoon.
 
After 90 minutes of play, the match headed to overtime. Overtime in the NAIA postseason is played in golden-goal format where a goal wins the match.
 
In the 1st overtime, Kendall and Ortiz came close to grabbing the winner, but Hutchinson, like she had done all day, was up to the task.
 
After 100 minutes of scoreless play, OIT had 16 shots, 4 on goal and EOU had 12 shots 6 on goal, as the stars of the afternoon were Hutchinson and Burkhartzmeyer.
 
In the 2nd overtime, Ortiz attempted another one of her patented longshots, but it went just over the bar as the match headed to penalty kicks.
 
In the penalty shootout, Tech grabbed a 2-0 lead as Miller and Seward connected on their spot kicks.
 
Tech brought Nakamura into the goal off the bench, and Sydney saved both of the Mountaineers' first two penalty kicks.
 
Leading 2-0, Feis-White put the Owls on the doorstep of the national tournament making her penalty to give Tech a 3-0 lead.
 
Needing one more save to win the match, EOU made their 3rd penalty to extend the match.
 
Ortiz and Mull were then denied on the 4th and 5th kick for Tech.
 
EOU made their must score kicks and sent the match to sudden death.
 
Morikawa made the 6th kick for Tech, but EOU made theirs as well as we went to the 7th and final round.
 
Hutchinson denied Valerie Zabinski, and the Mountaineers followed up her save by making their 5th straight must-make penalty kick to send themselves to Foley, Alabama.
 
The heart-breaking loss for Tech ends their promising season at 12-1-1.
 
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