Box Score Kearney, Neb. – The Washburn Ichabods outscored Nebraska-Kearney 4-2 in a shootout to win an MIAA soccer tournament first found game Tuesday night in Topeka, Kans.
 
The fourth-seeded Ichabods (9-8-3) advance to Olathe, Kans., where they'll face eighth-seeded Central Oklahoma Friday at 4:00 p.m. The other side of the bracket pits third-seed Southwest Baptist against seventh-seed Emporia State.
 
The MIAA tourney winner received an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament; regular season champ Central Missouri, who lost 3-1 to UCO today, should earn an at-large berth.

"We're obviously dissapointed that our season is over after playing so well and really deserving to win. We gave everything we had, left it all on the field and need to be very proud of how we performed in the game and the entire year," said UNK head coach John Maessner. "This is a great group that impress us everytime they step out on the field, in training sessions or away from the game."
 
Playing in its first-ever postseason game, the Lopers (8-8-3) found themselves down 1-0 just four minutes in as WU's Caysie Beetley tallied her fourth goal after taking a pass from teammate Cadence Bourne.
 
However, UNK quickly responded. After a WU foul, senior Becka Talcott (Denver, Colo.) lined up for a free kick. She managed to find sophomore McKinzie Rieber (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), who scored her third goal of 2013 from about 10 yards out.
 
For the second time this year, Washburn and UNK battled 110 minutes without a winner. After two overtime periods, the Lopers had taken two more shots, 12-10, while Washburn had two more corners, 5-3.

Kearney did out shoot the 'Bods 7-2 after the first half. Talcott and sophomore Breezy Jahnke (North Platte) each took three shots on the night.
 
In UNK's first-ever shoot out, Talcott and Jahnke found the back of the net but two other shots were missed. Washburn scored on all four of its kicks, the last taken by true freshman Devon Schmitz.
 
Besides Talcott, the other Loper seniors were Sarah Talcott (Denver, Colo.), Missy Everson (Pasco, Wash.), Kirsti Rehler (Austin, Texas) and Nikki Thompson (Centennial, Colo.).

"We have big plans heading into next year but we have to congratulate and thank our five seniors for all they have done for UNK Soccer. They have raised the bar for us and are forever a part of the UNK Soccer family. We will miss them and wish them well in the future,"said Maessner.

After winter training, UNK will have several exhibition games this spring.