WEST CHESTER, Pa. – The Gannon women's soccer team has a lineup loaded with veteran leaders and standout freshmen.

In the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional championship game, though, a few role players starred in the big moments on Friday and prolonged the Golden Knights' dream season.

Angela Vandamia slipped a penalty kick to the right of the goalie, clinching a 5-4 win in a shootout after Gannon and West Chester played to a 1-1 tie through two halves and two overtimes. The victory gave Gannon (18-4-2) a berth in the Elite Eight on Sunday at 1 p.m. when they will face Adelphi at West Chester.

Adelphi had an identical result in the East Regional championship match earlier on Friday. The No. 2-seeded Panthers (14-3-5) played No. 1-seeded Saint Rose to a 1-1 tie through two overtimes and then won 4-2 in penalty kicks.
 

Penalty kick drama:

Vandamia wasn't the only player who stepped into the spotlight during the penalty-kick portion of the game. Holly Gray (Gold Coast, Australia) opened with a successful attempt to the left side just under the goal.

Logan Nicklas (Allison Park, Pa./Hampton) followed with a successful shot to the far right. After West Chester took a 3-2 lead, June Monasterio (Bilbao, Spain/Claret Askartza) tied it at 3-3 with a boot to the far left of the goal.

After a West Chester player missed a shot high, the WCU goalie guessed right and stopped Grace Emanuel's (Erie, Pa./McDowell) shot to the left in the fourth round. WCU again took the lead, 4-3, before Gretchen Oslick (Freedom, Pa./Ambridge) tied it again with a blast into the upper right of the net.

That forced a sixth round of penalty kicks, and after WCU again missed high, Vandamia sealed the win with a solid shot. That launched an emotional moment as coach Colin Petersen's team rushed onto the field to embrace each other in celebration.

 

It's a celebration!
Grad student Leah Bermudez (Milton, Ontario/Jean Vanier Catholic) accepts the Atlantic Regional title trophy with her Gannon teammates! pic.twitter.com/6GYbHT3Ykk

— Gannon Athletics (@GUKnights) December 1, 2023

Regulation and overtime:

After a scoreless first half, Gannon finally took the lead when freshman Grace Emanuel (Erie, Pa./McDowell) scored off a pass from fellow freshman Brooklyn Respecki (McKean, Pa./General McLane) with 22:35 remaining.

Gannon appeared to be in control, but with 13:10 remaining there was a scramble in front of the Gannon goal. West Chester standout Faith Matter then scored off a rebound after Gannon goalie Morgan Sinan (Cranberry Twp., Pa./Seneca Valley) made a save in front.

The score stayed 1-1 through the rest of regulation and two 10-minute overtimes.

The Golden Knights outshot the Golden Rams 21-12, including an 11-4 margin in shots on goal.

 
Redemption tour:

The postseason has been a series of paybacks for the Gannon women. The Golden Knights' win over West Chester avenged a pair of losses to West Chester in the past two PSAC championship games. This year's PSAC result was especially disappointing after Gannon tied the game late only to see WCU score the winner in the closing minutes.

In 2022, West Chester defeated GU 3-0 in the PSAC title game on the way to finishing as the national runner-up.

In Gannon's first two NCAA playoff games this season, the Knights beat Mercyhurst 1-0 after losing to the Lakers twice in the regular season and downed No. 1-seeded Charleston 3-1 after losing to the Golden Eagles in the second game of the season.

Earlier, in the PSAC semifinals, Gannon defeated a Kutztown team that had eliminated GU during the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
 

Celebration:
 
After the game, Gannon's players were able to hoist the Atlantic Regional championship trophy led by graduate student Leah Bermudez (Milton, Ontario/Jean Vanier Catholic), the emotional leader of the team.

Now, Gannon will have to regroup from the emotional victory to prepare for a chance to advance to the Final Four.