ORANGE BEACH, Ala. - A rainy contest played under the lights on Monday evening saw Cumberlands (Ky.) advance past Life (Ga.) in a 5-4 penalty shootout after the two teams battled to a 2-2 draw through regulation and both overtime periods.
 
The contest was tied 2-2 going into the intermission, with Cumberlands striking first in the 20th minute when Tjerk Meijs found the back of the net off a setup from Mario Fernandez to give the Patriots a narrow 1-0 advantage. Seven minutes later, Life checked in on the scoreboard with an equalizer from Andrei Apostu, assisted by Manuel Carrillo. The momentum continued to swing in the Running Eagles’ favor just moments later, as Enrico Burigotto delivered a go-ahead goal in the 28th minute to push Life ahead 2-1.
 
Cumberlands scored off an own goal from Life just 14 minutes shy of the conclusion of the opening half to tie the contest 2-2. 
 
Despite the early scoring flurry, the remainder of the match turned into a defensive duel. Life held a 9-3 edge in total shots, while the Patriots’ back line and goalkeeper Elias Martinez kept their composure with one save to force the match into extra time. The score remained unchanged through the second half and two overtime sessions, sending the contest to a penalty shootout. 
 
In the shootout, Life converted four attempts, but Cumberlands remained perfect at the spot, burying all five of its shots to secure the 5-4 decision and move on. 
 
The turning point in the shootout came from Cumberlands' keeper Javiero Izquierdo, who came up with the only stop of the round. Izquierdo's read Life’s second attempt and pushed it away, giving the Patriots the edge they needed to stay perfect on their kicks and seal the 5-4 win.
 
Cumberlands (Ky.) will be back on the pitch in the quarterfinals on Thursday, Dec. 4 at 1 p.m., and face the winner of the Warner Pacific (Ore.) and LSU Shreveport (La.) contest.
 
Story courtesy of NAIA sports information