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SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – After playing No. 4 seed Missouri State to a 1-1 tie after 110 minutes of action, the No. 5 seed University of Evansville women's soccer team advanced to the semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament by topping the host Bears, 6-5, in penalty kicks Sunday night at Plaster Field in Springfield, Mo.
 
Sophomore goalkeeper Simone Busby made several pivotal saves for Evansville (9-5-4), but none were more important than the one she made to send the Aces through to the MVC Tournament semifinals.  After Missouri State (5-10-4) converted on their first three penalty kick tries to take a 3-2 lead in the shootout, Busby turned away the Bears' fourth attempt by diving to her left and pushing a shot by Rachel Weimer wide of the post.  The Aces then proceeded to put their next four attempts in the back of the net, before Busby held her line on a shot up the middle by Lauren Josten to allow UE to prevail, 6-5.
 
MSU created the better chances in the opening half, as Missouri State outshot Evansville, 9-5, over the first 45 minutes and got on the scoreboard first in the 36th minute.
 
Weimer scored her first goal of the season, after Molly Huber slotted a ball past an Aces' defender and to the foot of Weimer, who finished the chance with a low shot into the back of the net, giving the Bears a 1-0 lead.
 
UE put three of its five first-half attempts on goal, but MSU goalkeeper Jessica Perry was able to collect all three to keep Missouri State in front heading into the intermission.
 
Evansville began to push forward in the second half, taking seven shots to the Bears' five, and was able to produce the equalizer and end its over 570-minute scoring drought in the 81st minute.  Senior Stephanie Thompson set up the scoring chance by scrambling to the back line and sending a ball out wide to freshman Emily Richardson, who lofted a shot into the upper corner of the goal to tie the contest at 1-1.
 
The Aces continued to push forward and nearly got a second goal in the 85th minute.  After UE was awarded a corner kick, Thompson made a short, quick pass to junior Tatiana Pagan at the left corner of the box.  Pagan sent a high shot towards the far post, but Perry was able to make a leaping save and punch the ball over the crossbar.
 
With the score still tied at 1-1 after 90 minutes of play, the game headed to overtime, where Missouri State was able to create some early chances.  Less than a minute into the first extra session, the Bears got off a pair of shots, but Busby was able to make a diving save on the first by Molly Brewer and the Evansville defense blocked an attempt by Michelle Mayne-Nicholls on the rebound.
 
MSU earned a pair of corner kicks late in the first overtime period, but the Aces' back line successfully defended both attempts to send the match to a second overtime session.
 
UE dominated the final 10 minutes of the game, as it took all four shots in the second overtime frame with its best opportunity coming in the 109th minute.  After Perry had come off of her line to attempt to break up a scoring chance in the middle of the field, sophomore Abby Springer was able to collect the loose ball on the left wing and dribble towards an open net, before seeing her shot sail just left of the near post to close the second overtime period.
 
In the shootout, Evansville elected to shoot first, and sophomore Holyn Marshall and Thompson converted on the Aces' first two attempts against Missouri State keeper Evan Stamp.  The Bears matched UE by making their first two PKs, before Stamp made a save and MSU followed with a successful try to gain a 3-2 advantage.  Evansville converted on its final four attempts and Busby was able to make two saves to send the Aces to the MVC Tournament semifinals that will be held on their home pitch at Arad McCutchan Stadium.
 
UE will look to continue its run through the MVC Tournament Friday night, when it plays No. 1 seed Illinois State at 6:05 p.m.