PHOENIX, Ariz.—The Utah Valley University women's soccer team tied Seattle U, 1-1, in double overtime and then claimed the 2017 WAC Women's Soccer Tournament championship 3-1 in penalty Kicks to earn the team's second WAC tournament title in the last three years.
 
The championship victory earns Utah Valley (10-11-1) the WAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament next week. Utah Valley wins the WAC title under first-year head coach Chris Lemay.
 
Trailing 1-0 in the final minute of regulation, UVU's Breanna McCarter passed the ball into the box where UVU's Siri Dahl got a foot on it to score her first career UVU goal to tie the game, 1-1, and force the match into overtime. 
 
Both teams went scoreless in the two 10-minute overtime periods to send the match to penalty kicks. UVU's Brooklyn Nielsen forced three Seattle U misses while Breanna DeWaal, Libby Weber, and Tori Smith went a perfect 3-for-3 to lift the Wolverines to the 3-1-penalty kick advantage.
 
"This is hard to describe," said Utah Valley head coach Chris Lemay. "We've had some ups and downs over the course of the entire season but we always truly believed that we were capable of winning this championship. This is what we wanted and set out to do from day one and we went out and achieved it today. It feels unbelievable today. All the credit goes to our players for continuing to battle all year long. I'm extremely happy and proud."
 
Utah Valley outshot Seattle U 20-11 on the day, including a 5-2 advantage on goal. The Wolverines registered seven corner kicks to SU's three. McCarter led UVU with a match-high six shots, including two on net. Smith had five, while Amber Tripp and Hannah Bruce each had two.
 
Nielsen played all 110 minutes in goal, tallying one save on the day. She faced 11 Seattle U shots.

Utah Valley's Beanna DeWaal was named the WAC Tournament MVP. She also earned a spot on the all-tournament team, along with teammates Sydney Fitzpatrick, McCarter, and Neilsen
 
Utah Valley will find out who the team will face as the athletic department will host a selection show celebration on Monday at a time and place to be announced soon.

ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM
Nikki Lynch, Sr., MF/F, Kansas City
Sydni Young, Sr., D/MF, Kansas City
McKenzie Cook, Jr., MF/F, Grand Canyon
Mikaela McGee, Fr., F, Grand Canyon
Natasha Howe, R-Sr., MF/F, Seattle U
Madeline Racine, R-Jr., D, Seattle U
Stephanie Spiekerman, Sr., D, Seattle U
Sydney Fitzpatrick, Sr., F, Utah Valley
Breanna McCarter, R-Jr., F, Utah Valley
Brooklyn Nielsen, So., GK, Utah Valley

TOURNAMENT MVP
Breanna DeWaal, So., MF, Utah Valley