UCSD Pays Penalty, Tips Plymouth State : NCAA soccer: Goalkeeper Julie Friess blocked Traci Walker’s shot to send the No. 1-ranked Tritons into today’s final against undefeated Ithaca College.

Few things in college soccer are more nerve-racking than penalty kicks. But that’s where UC San Diego and Plymouth State College found themselves after going scoreless through 90 minutes of regulation and 30 minutes of overtime in an NCAA Division III women’s semifinal soccer match at UCSD Saturday afternoon.

An already tense scenario became even more so when UCSD led, 4-3, on penalty kicks and Plymouth State’s last player made the long walk from midfield to 12 yards in front of the goal to try and send the teams into sudden death kicks.

But Julie Friess, the UCSD keeper, blocked Traci Walker’s shot up the middle to send the No. 1-ranked Tritons into today’s final against undefeated Ithaca College, a 2-0 winner over Methodist College in Saturday’s other semifinal. The UCSD-Ithaca championship game will be played at noon today at UCSD.

“I actually thought it was their sixth shot, so I thought it was sudden death,” Friess said. “I just kept telling myself, ‘I have to save this. I just have to save this.’

“I get really confused because I get in my own mind set. After I blocked it, I looked at the ref and said ‘did we win?’ He said yes and I ran to my teammates.”

Offensively, UCSD outplayed Plymouth State (16-3) the majority of the match. The Tritons (18-1-1) outshot the Panthers, 9-1, in regulation but could not score.

“But their defenders used their legs, their bodies, anything to get in front of the ball,” said UCSD Coach Brian McManus.

While UCSD had the most opportunities, Plymouth State had maybe the best. With 12 seconds remaining in overtime, Elizabeth Healy broke across the field to the left side and put a high, arching shot toward the goal. Friess went straight up with her arms fully extended and tipped the ball over the back of the goal.

“It was going in,” Friess said. “I couldn’t see it because of the sun and I just tipped it.”

The save sent the match into penalty kicks. The first seven players made their shots and UCSD led, 4-3.

Friess then made a nice save to her left and the Tritons’ Toni Krumme could have clinched the match, but hesitated on her shot and Plymouth State’s Mary St. Germain blocked the attempt.

“The coach is totally useless,” McManus said of the penalty kicks. “Me and the other coach might as well have gone to the bar, had a beer and have someone call us.”

Tracy Deyle scored both goals to lead Ithaca into the finals for the first time since the Division III championships were started in 1986. The Tritons are making their second consecutive appearance in the final after losing, 1-0, to William Smith last year. UCSD defeated Ithaca (18-0-6) in the semifinals last year, 2-0.