Valery Restrepo matched a career-high with nine saves on 19 shots, but the four-seed Panthers fell 2-1 to five-seed New Mexico State in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Conference Tournament, fiusports.com reported.
The quarterfinal defeat on November 9, 2026, closes out a tightly contested postseason fixture in Newark, Delaware, where the Panthers converted just one of their 12 shots on goal.
- Offensive Conversion Rates: The Panthers generated 19 total shots and 12 on target but struggled to finish, highlighting a season-long clinical deficiency in the final third.
- Goalkeeping Workload: Valery Restrepo faced a heavy defensive burden, turning away six first-half attempts on her way to a nine-save performance.
- Tournament Futures: New Mexico State advances past the quarterfinals following the 2-1 result, capitalizing on their first-half chances and second-half momentum.
Neither side found the back of the net through the opening 45 minutes of play. The Panthers managed five shots on goal while the Aggies put six on frame before the intermission.
Restrepo anchored the defensive line during this opening phase, neutralizing six early shots to keep the match level at halftime.
The Panthers broke the deadlock immediately after the break. Adria Kitzinger delivered a precise cross into the box in the 49th minute, finding senior Barbara Garcia for a header that put FIU ahead 1-0.
Conference USA Tournament – Quarterfinal (4) FIU 1 – 2 (5) New Mexico State
The assist marked Kitzinger’s third of the season, tying her for the team lead. For Garcia, the goal was her first since the 2023 season after missing both 2024 and 2025 due to injury.
New Mexico State responded quickly, netting the equalizer in the 54th minute. The Aggies then claimed the advantage with a decisive goal at the 71:39 mark, holding the lead through the final whistle.
Mariana Barreto led the attack with six shots, all of which forced saves. Adria Kitzinger added four shots with two on target, while freshman Yuzu Tanida recorded two shots and one on goal.
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