Nov. 5, 2005
Box Score
LAS VEGAS - UNLV sophomore midfielder Katie Carney scored in the 96th minute to give the Rebels a 1-0 overtime win over New Mexico in the championship game of the Mountain West Conference Women's Soccer Tournament on Saturday afternoon from Peter Johann Memorial Field. The win gives UNLV its' first MWC Soccer Tournament Championship in school history and its first automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. It will be the second trip for the Rebels to the NCAAs, as they were at-large selection a year ago in the 2004 Tournament in their first postseason appearance.
"This is exciting," said UNLV head coach Katherine Mertz. "I am proud of the way the girls played today. It was a total team effort - from Jenna (Huff) to the top. Everyone played for each other."
Carney, the tournament's MVP, received a pass from Lori Sakai about 10-yards out in the first overtime. With two defenders around Carney, she turned around and fired between one of the defender's legs, placing the ball into the net just past the outstretched hands of Lobo goalkeeper Kristen Winters. It was her seventh goal of the season, and second game-winner of the tournament.
In the match, UNLV goalkeeper Jenna Huff was perfect in net, as she stopped all five of New Mexico's scoring opportunities to earn her sixth shutout of the season. Winters finished with three saves on the day. The Rebels out shot the Lobos 7-5, although UNM held a 5-4 advantage in shots on goal.
"This was a heartbreaker," UNM head coach Kit Vela said. "This game could have gone either way and unfortunately we were on the other side of it."
UNLV's win set a new school record with its 13th victory in the season. The Rebels also extended their school record of shutouts in a season to 11.
The Rebels will find our their opening opponent in the NCAA Tournament on Monday, as the 2005 bracket will be announced live on ESPNews between 2-2:30 pm PST. The first and second rounds will take place on Nov. 11 and Nov. 13, on selected campus sites.
All-Tournament Team
Katie Carney, So., F, UNLV Tanya Roberts, Jr., MF, UNLV Alanna Abeyta, Jr., D, New Mexico Nickie Olson, Sr., D, UNLV Haley Partridge, Fr., F, UNLV Kaela Kelly, Jr., MF, New Mexico Bridgette Sanchez, Jr., F, New Mexico Heather Killoch, Jr., D, UNLV Nicole McCarty, Sr., D, New Mexico Ashley Lowery, Jr., D, New Mexico Jenna Huff, Sr., Goalkeeper, UNLV
MVP - Katie Carney, So., F, UNLV
