SEC Tournament, UWF In GSC Tourney provide Pensacola soccer showcase
Five miles apart at two different venues, a soccer showcase occurred Sunday in Pensacola.
Both University of West Florida men’s and women’s teams advanced on their campus field into the semifinal stage of the Gulf South Conference Tournament, further enhancing the teams’ NCAA Division II postseason aspirations.
UWF Women's Soocer: Argos wrap up regular season this weekend with GSC supremacy at stake
More Soccer: Top-Ranked Alabama Leads Way As SEC Soccer Tournament Begins In Pensacola
Meanwhile, at the same time Sunday, the Southeastern Conference women’s soccer tournament made its debut in Pensacola with a pair of enthralling, overtime games, at the Ashton Brosnaham Park Soccer Complex, highlighted by a dramatic upset win by Ole Miss against LSU on penalty kicks.
The tense, emotional game also included a fight late in the second overtime between Ole Miss forward Ramsey Davis, LSU defender Maya Gordon and teammate Rommie Noel. All three were ejected. Video of the fight quickly spread on the Internet.
Mississippi State followed that game with a 2-1 overtime win against Texas A&M, advancing to play national No. 1 Alabama in Tuesday’s quarterfinals at 5 p.m.
An overflow crowd greeted the event, which included people lining the area on the entrance side of the Escambia County stadium. It became the largest opening day attendance the SEC has seen for its women’s soccer tournament, now nationally televised on the SEC Network – part of the ESPN platform.
“This is amazing,” said Ray Palmer, executive director of Pensacola Sports, which worked to bring the SEC tournament to Pensacola. “To have this kind of turnout right out of the gate, we are blown away.”
After an off-day Monday, the SEC Tournament will have its entire quarterfinal round Tuesday at Brosnaham, beginning with the first of four games at 12 p.m. featuring SEC East Division winner South Carolina, the No. 2 tournament seed, against Ole Miss.
UWF teams will travel this week to Huntsville, Alabama for the GSC Tournament semifinals on Thursday (men) and Friday (women) at John Hunt Park.
Here is a breakdown of what happened locally on Sunday.
SEC TOURNAMENT
Ole Miss 0 (3), LSU 0 (0)
After a scoreless tie in regulation play, followed by no scoring in either of the two 10-minute overtimes, it came down to the penalty kicks to decide the game.
Ole Miss goalkeeper, senior Ashley Orkus, one of the nation’s best the past three years at this position, thwarted the first two kicks and watched the third LSU attempt sail over the goal frame, to set up the Rebels win. LSU had just defeated Ole Miss 4-1 last Thursday in the final regular-season game.
Orkus, who transferred to Ole Miss from Tennessee following her freshman season, was named the 2022 SEC goalkeeper of the year for the third consecutive season. She made three saves during Sunday’s game, including one in the second overtime.
Junior defender Price Loposer, as the Rebels fourth shooter, followed successful kicks from Kayla Chatman-Haggerty and Aubrey Mister, to produce the game-winner on the penalty kicks.
Late in the second overtime, Ole Miss’ Ramsey Davis and LSU’s Maya Gordon got tangled on a battle for the ball near the sideline. As Davis grabbed Gordon’s waist while heading out of bounds, the two then immediately began exchanging punches before the referees arrived. LSU’s Rammie Noel raced in, after the two were separated to become the third person in the brawl, punching Davis in the back several times.
All three were given red card ejections and suspensions. Davis won’t play Tuesday. If LSU reaches the NCAA Tournament, Noel and Gordon will have to sit out the game.
Mississippi State 2, Texas A&M 1 (OT)
Forward Jojo Ngongo, a graduate transfer, and Winnipeg, a Manitoba Canada native, scored late in the first overtime and the Bulldogs held on through the second overtime to post a quarterfinal win.
Mississippi State scored a goal late in the first half off a cross from Juliet Moore that Gwen Mummert tapped into the back of the net. Texas A&M tied the game in the 85th minute on a goal by Mia Pante.
Texas A&M finished its season at 9-6-5. Mississippi State improved to 11-4-4 heading into Tuesday’s quarterfinal game against Alabama.
GSC QUARTERFINALS
UWF (Women) 2, West Georgia 1
Seniors Kileigh Whited, a Navarre High graduate, and Blair Cowan scored goals and were part of the Argos game-sealing defense in No. 8-ranked UWF’s win against No. 8 seed West Georgia.
The Argos (15-2-1), top seed as GSC regular season winners, got a first half goal from Whited in the 20th minute, after she sped down the side, while teammate Brianna Pope had the ball, then passed to Whited, who had a tap-in goal inside the goal box area.
“I knew that (Pope) was out there by herself and I was like, OK, I gotta book it now,” Whited said. “I think that is the fastest I have ever run. And it just felt good to get one on the mark, because I’m not really a goal scorer on this team, so it was nice to put one away. It is so special, especially with it being my last game at our home field, maybe, so it was exciting to finish off my senior year with a goal.”
It the second goal this season for Whited, 22, who transferred from South Alabama after the 2019 season. Her decision to take the risk and be in position for a goal was praised by Argos coach Joe Bartlinski.
“It was such a gutsy run. She was totally committed to that run, 70 yards, and made it,” he said. “And Bri (Brianna) did her job of occupying the defenders. But you could tell just by (Whited) wanting that ball, you have to be committed to make that run at that point in the game. That was vital.”
After West Georgia got a goal on a penalty kick in the 54th minute, the Argos answered three minutes later with a penalty kick goal from senior Blair Cowan, the team’s leading scorer.
“Blair is clutch,” said Bartlinski, who then jokingly added, “The two old ladies did a good job of leading the team, not getting down and pushing that winning goal.”
The win advances the Argos to play Lee University on Friday. This season, UWF has allowed only five goals, but just one goal allowed during the regular play of a game. The others were on penalty kicks (3) and a set piece play (1).
“When you have a statistic like that, it’s absolutely phenomenal. And you have to credit the goalkeepers and our back line is just so solid and I think that comes from the grit and the love that we have to save the goals and so it’s fun to be part of.”
UWF (Men) 2, Spring Hill College 0
A pair of second-half goals pushed the 11th ranked Argos past Spring Hill.
Keegan Lynch scored in the 65th minute on a perfect pass from Kainan Dos Santos, who was recently named the GSC player of the year. In the final minute, Finn Werner scored on assist from senior Teavon Spencer.
“Spring Hill made it difficult,” said UWF men’s coach Bill Elliott, whose team was top seed as GSC regular-season winners. “We thought they would. It is a playoff game and it doesn’t matter whether you have put up points all season like we have or you’re at the top or the bottom, it’s one game.
“And the games are going to be tough. They are going to be a grind. I don’t expect there will be another game this season that will be easy. At this point any win is a good win.”
The Argos will face Auburn-Montgomery on Thursday in the GSC tourney men’s semifinals in Huntsville.
WANT TO GO?
WHAT: SEC Women’s Soccer Tournament
WHERE: Escambia County Soccer Stadium at Ashton Brosnaham Soccer Complex.
WHO/WHEN: Tuesday Quarterfinals: South Carolina vs. Ole Miss, 12 p.m on Tuesday, Georgia vs. Tennessee 2:30 p.m., Alabama vs. Mississippi State, 5 p.m. Arkansas vs. Vanderbilt, 7:30 p.m.
SEMIFINAL: On Thursday at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., followed by SEC championship game on Sunday at 1 p.m.
TICKETS: Full Tournament Pass (every game) $25, single-game tickets for each quarterfinal and semifinal game are $7 with Sunday’s game at $10.
PARKING: Free at complex.
TELEVISION: All games live on SEC Network
GSC TOURNAMENT
WHAT: Semifinal Games, UWF men and women’s teams.
WHO/WHEN: UWF men vs. Auburn-Montgomery, 3:30 p.m. Thursday; UWF women vs. Lee University on Friday, 3:30 p.m.
WHERE: John Hunt Park, Huntsville, Alabama.
Bill Vilona is a retired Pensacola News Journal sports columnist and now senior writer for Pensacola Blue Wahoos. He can be reached at bvilona@bluewahoos.com.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: SEC Soccer Tournament, UWF In GSC Tourney provide Pensacola showcase
