PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas | Alabama State and Texas Southern battled throughout regulation and into overtime, before a winner was decided on penalty kicks in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) semifinals with the Lady Hornets coming away with a hard-fought 1-1 (6-5 penalty kicks) victory.
 
After the Lady Hornets made four of their first five penalty kicks, only to be matched by Texas Southern, SWAC Defender of the Year Mercedes Padilla sent Alabama State (12-7) into the championship match for the second consecutive year as she knocked home the game-winner.
 
"We survived another one," Alabama State head coach Jodie Smith said. "It felt as if the game had a constant change of momentum with each team creating good chances. Teaggan's goal really got us going early, and our back line was tremendous all day. Gianna really showed her quality as a goalkeeper today."
 
Alabama State wasted little time in getting on the board, scoring in the first 65 seconds of the match when Teaggan Ilela scored off of pass from Shyann Cordova off the right side.
 
Texas Southern was able to match the goal in the second half when Kelly Sanders knocked home the equalizer in the 52nd minute. From there, the two teams would trade shots, but go scoreless over the next 68 minutes to force the penalty kick shootout.
 
Alabama State got penalty kicks from Inma Martinez, Lexi Krieger, Shelby Unruh, Cordova and Emily LaRue before Padilla stepped to the ball.
 
Gianna Guyot recorded seven saves, including one on a penalty kick in the shootout to preserve the victory for the Lady Hornets.
 
Alabama State returns to action in the SWAC championship match Sunday morning at 11:00 am against Grambling State. It will be a rematch of a match that was played two weeks away in which Grambling State picked up a 2-0 victory.
 
The match will be carried on the SWAC Digital Network.
 
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