Soccer Upsets Missouri, Advances To Semifinal

I remember the first time I watched a NASCAR race, I mean really watched a NASCAR race, and they cut to the camera pointed directly at the exit of the turn, and how my only thought was "oh man they're so going to crash no wait how the hell?"

That was more or less the feeling I got in the last 10 minutes or so of LSU's match against Missouri, where the purple Tigers eventually survived the final surge by black Tigers.

LSU jumped ahead to a 2-0 lead off via goals from Alex Thomas in the 10th minute with an assist credited to Debbie Hahn,  and Gabriela Maldonado provided the game winning goal in the 18th when she swung around her mark and fired a vigorous shot into the net. Oddly enough, Maldonado also provided the game winner against Missouri when the two teams played on October 9th.

Missouri answered in the 59th when Kaitlyn Clark placed a shot in the upper left corner of the goal. LSU keeper Catalina Rubiano actually played it well, jumping to reach to punch the ball away. Unfortunately, she ended punching the ball into the net, allowing Missouri to cut the lead in half. That set up a mad dash finish, with LSU hanging on to their lead despite Missouri's best efforts. Alex Arlitt made a terrific play to block a ball shot from the face of goal while Catalina Rubiano was trying to recover from the shot that set up the goal scoring opportunity that would prove to be Missouri's last.

LSU will face Texas A&M in the semifinals at 7 Friday night, on the SEC Network.