DANVILLE, Va. — The Averett University women's soccer season came to an end in heartbreaking fashion. After the Cougars battled Meredith College to a 0-0 draw through two overtimes, the Avenging Angels advanced to the USA South Conference Tournament quarterfinals on penalty kicks, 5-3, on Wednesday night on Daly Field at Frank R. Campbell Stadium.

East Division No. 4 seed Averett (5-11-1) and East Division No. 5 seed Meredith (6-7-3) both couldn't capitalize on opportunities to score through the first 110 minutes of the USA South First Round contest. That set up a best-of-five shootout to decide which team's season would continue.

Alternating penalty kick attempts, Meredith had the first attempt. Molly Thomas succeeded with a shot to the bottom left corner. Averett senior Kaitlyn Barbour answered on her attempt, firing in a shot into the right side of the net. The two teams matched each other in the second round. Kirstie King snuck her per shot past the goalkeeper to the right, and Averett senior Eimear Reddin nailed her attempt past a diving keeper to the left. Meredith's Lillian Fox and Averett sophomore Emily Meador each found the back of the net as well. Fox nailed hers to the right side, while Meador found the lower right corner.

Meredith got the break it needed in the fourth round of shots. After Madison Thompson barely got one past the fingertips of senior goalkeeper Bailee Brown, Meredith keeper Miranda Lutz got a save on the Cougars' ensuing shot to help the Avenging Angels hold a 4-3 lead.

Annah Bishop gave Meredith the walk-off celebration when she put her penalty kick into the back of the net in the lower right corner to lift the Avenging Angels.

Meredith advanced to play West Division No. 1 seed Maryville College (11-5) in the USA South quarterfinals on Saturday. The Scots had a bye in the first round.

Averett and Meredith battled in a contest between two evenly matched teams for the second time this season. The Cougars managed to get by Meredith late, 1-0, in their regular season meeting.

The Angels were the aggressors early as Brown faced a quick challenge in the opening minutes, making a nice save on a strong header by Bishop. Brown also made two solid saves in the final three minutes of the first half, including a point-blank grab on a hip shot by Madison Thompson.

Still scoreless at halftime, Brown continued to make solid plays, including a big save coming off her line in the 53rd minute.

Meredith nearly won it at the end of regulation. Thomas got a great look in the box, and although Brown got a finger on it, the ball still hit the left post. Hannah Elvington was on the back side but couldn't put in the wide-open rebound. It went wide left as time expired.

The Cougars had their chances as well, especially in double overtime. Reddin played a cross into the box from the right side that took a large bounce over Lutz's head. With the net unattended, the Cougars couldn't put home a shot. Then, a few moments later, Meador fired a laser just over the crossbar.

Meredith outshot Averett 21-19.

Brown, Averett's all-time saves and shutout record-holder, had 10 stops in goal.