Belmont Abbey sophomore forward Meghan Philp buried the decisive penalty kick in the shootout after the Crusaders and Barton were tied after 110 minutes as the women's soccer team advanced to the Conference Carolinas Tournament Final for the ninth-straight year with a 4-2 penalty kick win this afternoon at Alumni Field. 

The match is officially a 1-1 draw as the Abbey seeded second, improves to 14-3-2, while Barton, the third-seed, ends its season with a record of 14-5-1.

Belmont Abbey will face the fourth-seeded Pfeiffer Falcons Saturday at 1:00 in the championship match, which will be played at Alumni Field, in a rematch of last year's title game.

The two teams were deadlocked at one through 90 minutes and two ten minute overtime periods, setting up a dramatic finish.

Barton, kicking first, went up 1-0 in the shootout on an Emily Futral goal. Cassidy Coutinho matched her shot to tie the period at one.

The Bulldogs, however missed its next two shots, as Kasey Byzewski pushed her attempt wide right. After Silvia Vazquez put the Abbey ahead 2-1, Kelly Dolan blasted her attempt off the right post.

Theresa Mateo extended the lead to two with a successful kick, and after Barton's Jessica Lime made her attempt, all Philp had to do was make her shot to win, and her spot kick found the net for the winner.

During regulation, the Abbey moved ahead 1-0 in the 39th minute as Robyn Hatcher sailed a pass from the right sideline to the top of the box, where Laura Shelton beat Carson Moore with a high shot that just tucked under the crossbar for her first goal of the year.

Belmont Abbey maintained its lead but Barton pulled even with 7:06 left in the match. Taylor Parrish broke free down the left goal line and sailed a pass to the center of the box, where Jodi Barber tapped in the equalizer.

Philp and Ananda Gebreysus both had a chance to score the winner late. With less than five minutes left, Philp broke free and beat Moore with a nifty move and was left with an empty net from eight yards away. Her shot hit the right post and caromed out to the left of the box, where Gebreyesus ran it down. Her left footed attempt, into an empty net, hit the crossbar.

With under five seconds left, the Abbey nearly won the match. Jillian Lang sent a long shot from 40 yards out that Moore stopped, but the ball bounced away, right to the feet of Philp, who one-timed a shot, but it came at least two seconds after the final buzzer sounded.