Let’s go ahead and call them a dynasty. The U of M women’s soccer team beat UTEP Sunday afternoon at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex to earn the program’s fifth straight Conference USA tournament championship. The victory sends the 6th-ranked Tigers into the NCAA tournament with a record of 21-0-1. (Memphis will learn where and when it plays in the first round on Monday.)
Kaitlyn Atkins took a pass from Christabel Oduro three minutes into the second overtime session and scored the golden goal that gave Memphis a 2-1 victory. Oduro — the C-USA tourney’s Offensive MVP — opened the scoring with a shot from the left corner of the penalty area in the game’s 59th minute. The 7th-seeded Miners tied the game 19 minutes later on a shot by Brittany Kindzierski from 12 yards out, the ball sneaking into the lower left corner of the Tiger goal.
The Tigers had a 26-8 advantage in shots, thanks in part to the standout play of sweeper Lizzy Simonin, the tournament’s Defensive MVP.
