FOLEY, Ala. – The Texas State soccer team battled to a scoreless draw with Arkansas State in the first round of the Sun Belt Conference Championship. However, it would be the Red Wolves that advanced on penalty kicks 4-1.
 
The Bobcats season comes to an end with a 9-7-3 record while ASU is 9-5-4 and will play the winner of Louisiana and Troy on Friday.
 
Over the first 15 minutes of the match, the Red Wolves put pressure on the Bobcats defense. They took four shots, two on goal and attempted four corner kicks. The defense held firm and kept ASU off the scoreboard.
 
A shot by Kaylee Davis in the 20th minute was the first for Texas State. A bad clearance found its way to the senior forward 15 yards out. Her rip on frame was deflected over the bar for a corner kick.
 
Halfway through the 28th minute, Davis put a shot past the keeper. However, it was called back as another Bobcat committed a foul to get the Allen, Texas native the ball.
 
Davis had another good look on goal late in the 51st minute. A bouncing ball off a corner kick found its way to her, however the shot was right at the goalkeeper for the save.
 
In the 77th minute, an attempted shot by Davis was blocked but the ball found its way to an open Kamaria Williams. The freshman tried to slide it past the keeper but her attempt went just wide of the right post.
 
Just over three minutes later, Renny Moore took a long shot. The ball was going to get under the crossbar but was pushed over by the goalkeeper to keep the match scoreless.
 
ASU nearly ended the match less than a minute into the first overtime period. Sarah Sodoma was able to get a tight shot off from the far side that scooted across frame. No favorable bounce for the Red Wolves kept the ball out of the net.
 
It appeared with just over two minutes left in the second overtime that Davis had won a penalty kick when she was taken down in the box by a defender blocking her from keeping a ball from going out. However, the ref did not blow his whistle and let play continue.
 
Kayla Streber had an opportunity with 25 seconds remaining to end the match as she got by two defenders. Her attempt, however, was taken off her foot by the keeper to send the match to penalty kicks.
 
ASU went first and converted all four of its attempts while the Bobcats made only one of its three to be eliminated.
 
Davis led all TXST players with three shots and two on goal. Holly Streber added two shot attempts while both Gabie Jones and Moore placed a shot on goal apiece.
 
Heather Martin recorded seven saves in recording her seven saves in the match. She finishes her career with 279 career saves to finish tied for 18th in Sun Belt history with Troy's Laura Longard (2003-06).
 
It was also the Midlothian, Texas native's seventh shutout of the season to tie for the fourth most in program history. Martin concluded her stellar career with 22 shutouts to rank tied for seventh in conference history with three other players.
 
The Bobcats return to the pitch in August for the 2020 season.
 
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