ELLISVILLE – It came down to the last shot in the play-in game between Jones County Junior College and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College here on an overcast Thursday afternoon at Bobcat Soccer Field.

And the Lady Bulldogs were able to convert.

Gulf Coast outscored Jones 3-2 in a shootout to beat the Lady Bobcats 2-1 and advance to the MACJC State Tournament this weekend at Hinds Community College.

The game was played because both teams had ended the regular season with 9-3 records and had identical marks all the way down the list of tiebreakers. The final tiebreaker was supposed to be a coin flip, but MACJC, JCJC and Gulf Coast officials agreed on Thursday morning to a play-in game.

The Lady Bulldogs scored the game’s opening goal in the 19th minute on a free kick by Ashley Harvey.

It stayed that way until the 53rd minute when the Lady Bobcats tied it on a corner kick. Bridget Dennis kicked the ball and Lenzi Weems headed it into the goal to make it 1-1.

Both teams had their opportunities during the remaining time in regulation, but could not score.

The teams then went straight to a shootout.

Jones had the first chance, but Dana Ivey’s effort was stopped by Gulf Coast keeper Jennie Jester. Harvey then shot for the Gulf Coast, but Jones’ keeper Regan Atkins came up with the save.

Lady Bobcat Lauren Williams then scored on the next attempt, but Gulf Coast’s Kelli Ranson answered to make it 1-1.

Brittany Wentworth then shot for Jones, but it was off the mark. Gulf Coast’s Sarah Wilson then converted and gave her team a 2-1 edge.

Dennis went fourth for Jones, but her effort was stopped. Katy Buchanan’s shot for Gulf Coast was then deflected over the goal by Atkins.

Katie Alderman had the final shot for Jones and knocked it in the net to tie it at 2-2.

But Gulf Coast’s Courtney Fairley converted her team’s final chance to give the Lady Bulldogs the victory.

Gulf Coast, 13-4-1, will now face Hinds in the state tournament at 4 p.m. on Saturday in Raymond.

JCJC ends the year at 11-4, the most wins ever by a Lady Bobcat soccer team.

In other state tourney games on Saturday, the JCJC men’s team meets Hinds at 6 p.m., while the Gulf Coast men face Northwest at 2 p.m. The other women’s semifinal game will be at noon when Pearl River takes on Itawamba.

The women’s championship game will be at 5 p.m. on Sunday, followed by the men’s game at 7 p.m.