PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas | The Grambling State University women's soccer team is one victory away from capturing its first Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Women's Soccer Tournament Championship in 11 years.  
 
Grambling State (11-7-1), which was predicted to finish 10th in the SWAC preseason predicted order of finish, led from start to finish over No. 3-seed Howard and took a two-goal lead into the second half, before cruising to a 3-1 victory in the SWAC Women's Soccer Tournament semifinals on Friday night at the PVAMU Soccer Field.
 
The Lady Tigers will meet Alabama State, the defending SWAC Tournament champions and regular season champions, on Sunday at 11 a.m. in the 2017 SWAC Women's Soccer Tournament final. The game will be broadcasted live on the SWAC Digital Network.
 
Alabama State, the tournament's No. 1 seed, and Texas Southern played to a 1-1 tie in the first semifinal match on Friday. The Lady Hornets were victorious with a 6-5 victory in penalty kicks to advance to Sunday's championship match.  
Grambling State broke the scoreless tie in the 22nd minute. For the second night in a row, a flip throw-in by Brittany Terry set up the first goal as the ball bounced around the penalty area where Florence David hammered home the goal to give the Lady Tigers a 1-0 advantage.
 
Grambling State added its second goal just one minute before halftime as a Lady Bison player committed a foul in the penalty area. Terry, who is 1-for-1 in penalty kicks this season, stepped up the spot and drilled her shot past Howard goalkeeper Gabriell Emilien to extend the advantage to 2-0.
 
The Lady Tigers put the game away early into the second half as Kaylee Holt assisted on Jasmine Smith's goal to increase the lead to 3-0 in the 54th minute.
 
Howard got one goal back in the 82nd minute as Hollie Cartwright scored off an assist by Aleeya Sawyer as the Lady Bison cut the deficit to 3-1, but that would be as close as they would get.
 
Grambling State and Alabama State will be making its second meeting of the season on Sunday. The Lady Tigers defeated the Lady Hornets, 2-0, with goals by Clarissa Rivas and Jessica Miller-Ulmer, on Oct. 13 in Grambling, La.
 
 
Inside the Numbers
· Grambling State goalkeeper Jordan Woodward finished with two saves in 90 minutes of action.
· Howard goalkeeper Gabrielle Emilien registered two saves.
· Howard held a 6-5 advantage in shots, but Grambling State led, 5-3, in shots on goal.
· The Lady Bison finished with a 3-1 advantage in corner kicks.
· There were a combined 16 fouls and four yellow cards.
 
News & Notes
· Grambling State is making its fourth-ever trip to the SWAC Tournament Championship Match.
· The Lady Tigers were SWAC Tournament runners-up in 2003.
· Grambling State won the SWAC Tournament crown in 2004 and 2006.
· Grambling State's Justin Wagar was selected the SWAC Coach of the Year.
· Brittany Terry was the lone Lady Tiger named to the All-SWAC First Team.
· Kaylee Holt and Haileigh Adams were selected to the All-SWAC Second Team.
· Grambling State swept the two matches with Howard and outscored the Lady Bison, 5-2.
· Howard concludes the season with a 9-10-1 overall record.
· Alabama State is looking to become back-to-back tournament champions, and the last time that happened was 2014 and 2015 with Howard.
 
Up Next
Grambling State will look for its first SWAC Women's Soccer Tournament Championship since 2006 on Sunday against Alabama State. The match will begin at 11 a.m. and will be broadcasted live on the SWAC Digital Network. The winner of Sunday's final will earn the SWAC automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament.
 
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