Midwestern State vs. UT Dallas: Men’s Soccer

WICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAUZ) - Top-seeded Midwestern State advanced to the Lone Star Conference championship match dramatically, defeating fourth-seeded UT Dallas in a penalty shootout following a 1-1 deadlock through double overtime.

The Mustangs set an aggressive tone just two minutes into the match on a throw-in to Parker Plaxco, whose header hit the post and narrowly missed putting MSU ahead.

Midwestern State kept up the pressure on a corner kick off the foot of Christian Castaneda. After the ball was cleared out, Skyler Krchnak cranked a shot that was denied by the UT Dallas keeper, and Plaxco’s second-chance effort rolled just wide as the senior continued to hunt for a goal.

MSU threatened again on a free kick from Oscar Nunez, but the Comets goalkeeper got a glove on it to clear the threat and preserve the scoreless tie.

UT Dallas looked to strike on a pair of chances of its own, but a free kick sailed just wide, and a subsequent corner kick was headed out of play into the wrong side of the net.

With the match tied 1-1 at the end of regulation and two scoreless overtime periods, the semifinal came down to a penalty shootout.

Tied through five rounds of attempts, MSU goalkeeper Jake Morris came up with a clutch save on UT Dallas’ attempt. Castaneda then stepped up with a chance to seal it, burying his shot into the back of the net to give Midwestern State a 4-3 shootout victory and send the Mustangs to the LSC title match.