The automobiles, seemingly one at a time, pulled into the parking lot at the Park West Complex early on Tuesday evening, Some had only one occupant, while others had two or a group.

UTSA soccer players, about to participate in one of the most meaningful matches of their collegiate careers, emerged from the cars. Some had backpacks, and others had the bare minimum of belongings. The stoicism was etched on their faces. The impending 90 minutes would determine what the previous three months of practices, games, ups and downs, pain and injuries couldn’t.

“Definitely, very stressful,” UTSA redshirt sophomore midfielder Olivia Christodoulides said. “You could feel some anxiety throughout the day.”

The Roadrunners can now exhale.

Christodoulides, a walk-on, tallied her first collegiate goal late in the opening half, and the defense handled the rest as UTSA blanked Florida Atlantic 1-0 before a crowd of more than 800 in both teams’ American Conference finale.

The Roadrunners (8-5-5overall, 4-4-2 in conference) earned a second straight berth into the American postseason tournament and will be the No. 5 seed. The defending champions will face Rice (6-7-5, 4-4-2) in the quarterfinals at 4 p.m. Sunday in Lakewood Ranch, Fla.

“We’re very happy to be going back,” said UTSA coach Derek Pittman, whose club was picked in the preseason to finish second and entered Tuesday’s contest needing a win or a tie to avoid missing the tournament altogether. “It speaks to the character of who our players are. We’re never going to quit, we’re never going to back down, we’re never going to shy away from the moment. It was pretty much a win-or-go-home scenario for us. We did a phenomenal job against a very, very good FAU team.”

With their backs against the wall — a scenario in which they seem to flourish — the Roadrunners employed an all-hands-on-deck approach to win. Midfielder Sabrina Taber, a Smithson Valley graduate, moved to defense to aid the team. Jazira Gonzalez, Lilli Denhardt, Olivia D’Ambrosia and Isabel Peters provided key minutes off the bench. Sofia Peters, Caroline Pelkofski and Aaliyaiah Durden each played all 90 minutes.

And yet, it was a player who, a little more than two years ago, wasn’t sure she would play again. Christodoulides had no college offers entering her senior season at Austin Bowie High School when she suffered a knee injury.

“I really, really, really wanted to play college soccer,” she said. “I never pictured anything else. I just felt so blessed that (Pittman) called me.”

Christodoulides answered the call on Tuesday by running onto a long pass from teammate Sofia Peters just outside the right side of the penalty area, cutting left to elude FAU freshman defender Avery Runk, and slotting a shot into the left-side netting for the game-winner in the 36th minute.

“Honestly, an amazing, amazing feeling,” Christodoulides said. “I don’t even remember what I felt like. I was just so happy to contribute to my team. Regardless, if I’m coming off the bench or I’m starting, I just want to be that spark on the field.”

UTSA led 1-0 at halftime. As the team prepared to return to the field after the intermission, South Florida defeated East Central 2-1, a result that secured the local team’s spot at the conference tournament. Pittman didn’t tell his team.

The Roadrunners kept Florida Atlantic, led by the 1-2 scoring tandem of Hailey Santiago and Lola Hathorne (a combined 16 goals in check. Hathorne and Santiago combined for three shots as each played 45 minutes.

“It’s the heart that makes it worth it,” said UTSA senior goalkeeper Jasmine Kessler, who earned her 30th career win and 20th overall shutout with Tuesday’s outcome. “I love being out here on this field and battling for every single second with 10 other girls with it. Whether I make no saves or a hundred, I’m just so glad to be here playing with this team, for this team, and for this program.”

terrence@terrencesports.com
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American Conference postseason tournament
At Lakewood Ranch, Fla.
Sunday’s quarterfinals
10 a.m. — No. 6 Temple vs. No. 3 Alabama-Birmingham

12:30 p.m. — No. 7 Florida Atlantic vs. No. 2 Charlotte

4 p.m. — No. 5 UTSA vs. No. 4 Rice

6:30 p.m. — No. 8 North Texas vs. No. 1 Memphis

Wednesday’s semifinals
3 p.m. — Temple/Alabama-Birmingham winner vs. Florida Atlantic/Charlotte winner

6 p.m. — UTSA/Rice winner vs. Memphis/North Texas winner

Final
Nov. 14
6 p.m. — Semifinal winners