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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The top-seeded Christopher Newport women's soccer team dominated the majority of play Wednesday night, but the fourth-seeded Frostburg State Bobcats (12-4-5) held on for a 1-1 draw, and defeated the Captains in a penalty kick shootout. CNU (12-3-4) peppered the Bobcats all night, outshooting the visitors 29-9, including a 16-4 edge in shots on-frame. 

For the second straight year, the Captains bid for a tournament championship was halted in a PK shootout. FSU advances to host the 2014 CAC Championship on Saturday, taking on sixth-seeded Mary Washington after the Eagles got past second-seeded Salisbury in the other semifinal. 

Frostburg State evaded a number of close calls by the Captains all night, as CNU forced the Bobcats' starting keeper, Katie Smith, to make 13 saves. A pair of team saves were also needed, while the CNU offense also accosted the crossbar and post on numerous occasions. 

In the first half, the Captains' dominance was clear throughout, as CNU held a 15-2 advantage in total shots, forcing Frostburg State to make nine saves. Several close opportunities were turned away by Smith in the first ten minutes, as junior Lindsay Mondloch ripped one shot and Danielle Pratt played a pair on-frame. One of the best chances came just 4:59 into the game when sophomore Victoria Perry hammered a shot off the crossbar that ricocheted downward that looked like a potential goal, but Smith collected it before it could get in. 

In the 21st minute, sophomore defender Sam Rabinek directed a header toward the goal past Smith, but a defender cleared the shot off the line. In the first 24 minutes of action, the Captains had taken ten shots, putting five on goal with two shots off the crossbar. Even with control of the half, CNU was unable to convert and the score was tied at the half, 0-0. 

The Bobcats were playing without leading scorer Stephanie Fazenbaker in the first half, but her presence was immediately felt in the second half as the pressure mounted early against the CNU defense. Sophomore goalkeeper Haley Casanova was forced to make a pair of saves in the first nine minutes, but would give up the first goal of the game in the 55th minute of action. Fazenbaker slipped a pass between defenders on the left side of the box and Erin Worthman slid a low shot past Casanova for her seventh goal of the season.

After giving up the goal, CNU fought for the equalizer over the next 20 minutes of action. Mondloch had a good look from the right side blocked in the box and Perry took a shot that sailed just high. Then, in the 77th minute, things finally broke the right way for the CNU offense. After a corner kick, the ball was mixed up in a scrum on the right side when freshman Danielle Pratt slid a pass out of the box to the right, where senior Joy Piirto connected on a long-range, high-arcing shot toward the back corner of the goal. As the shot came down, Smith was unable to get a hand on it and Piirto's shot bounced into the goal for the game-tying goal. 

The momentum swung back in favor of the Captains, as they regained control of the match for the final 14 minutes of regulation. Just four minutes after the goal, Pratt smacked a shot on-frame that Smith turned away but could not corral giving way for a second chance opportunity by Kate Hurlock. For the second time in the game, though, a Salisbury defender saved the shot from going in on the open net. One of the most crushing near misses came in the 86th minute when Piirto delivered what would have proven to be the game-winning goal from outside the box. With space between defenders, Piirto slammed a shot off the inside of the right post past Smith, but the ricochet skirted the goal line for yet another narrow miss. 

In overtime, neither team had great chances, with Hurlock forcing Smith to make one last save in the 109th minute of action. With the game still tied at one, the teams would go to a penalty kick shootout to determine the advancing team. 

The first attempt for Frostburg State came off the foot of Brooke Longo, and Casanova dove to her right, connected on the save, but the shot's momentum still found the back of the net. Pratt missed the ensuing attempt for CNU giving the Bobcats an early 1-0 lead in the shootout. The lead wouldn't last, though, as Casanova made a big save of her own on the very next attempt, by Alyssa Malanik. CNU rookie Alexis Haycraft knotted things up when she converted the next chance for CNU. 

The two teams traded makes over the next two rounds, including scores from senior Sarah Perrett and rookie Kimmie Kerstiens for the Captains. In the fifth and final round, Chelsie McCoy converted to the right, to give Frostburg a 4-3 lead, and then Smith saved the try by Piirto to seal the win. 

The official score goes in the record book as a draw for both teams, while the Bobcats advance to play for the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. Piirto and Mondloch led the Captains' offense, taking six total shots with three on-frame, while Pratt added four shots on-goal in five attempts. Worthman's two shots on-goal and three total attempts led the way for FSU.

Smith wrapped the game with 13 saves for Frostburg, allowing one goal in 110 minutes. Casanova stopped three shots for the Captains, also giving up just one goal.