Kylie O'Connor had the easy part. All she had to do was win.

O'Connor knocked in the game-winning goal in the seventh round of a shootout Tuesday, giving the Bryan Lady Vikings a tense and tough regional quarterfinal win after they and Garland Sachse had played to a 1-1 tie through two overtimes at Waco ISD Stadium.

"After Ana saved it, I just said, 'I have to do this now,'" said O'Connor after her sophomore goalkeeper, Ana Meyer, forced a high shot on Sachse's seventh shooter. "I took a deep breath, because I get really nervous. I took my touches, tried to fake the goalie out a little bit and took my shot."

O'Connor's goal lifted Bryan to a 3-2 shootout victory and sent the Lady Vikings to the Class 5A Region II tournament at Round Rock ISD Stadium on Friday.

O'Connor got her chance only because the Lady Vikings' survival instincts were unwavering. Under pressure from the Lady Mustangs and facing a 20-mph wind throughout the second half, Bryan survived an onslaught after Sachse tied the match on a penalty kick early in the period.

As it turned out, that was nothing. Trailing 2-0 in the shootout after three Sachse players had taken their turn, the Lady Vikings had to be flawless to remain within reach of a win.

They were.

Meyer ran directly at Sachse's Kiana Clem and Kathryn Napier on the next two tries, bumping head-to-head with Napier and blocking away both shots.

"I started listening to the crowd and my team and knew what I had to do to keep us in it," Meyer said. "I have a problem if I go down, I don't keep my body spread out, so I just decided to go right at them. I thought I could stay big and be more effective."

Sachse had celebrated prematurely, racing onto the field after Brittany Little's shot slipped wide right. But the Lady Mustangs had not yet won, and would not.

"Oh, heck no," O'Connor said. "We've got to get them for that."

"I'm a big believer in karma," Bryan coach Amy Pettibone said. "They say Instant Karma's gonna get you and man, did it."

Bryan's celebration held up as Dani Fellows and Jessica Chicas scored to tie the shootout at 2-2. Had either missed, the Lady Mustangs would have won.

"I kicked it with the outside of my right foot," said Chicas, Bryan's fifth shooter who fell to the turf after scoring. "I was so nervous. I was trembling when I was walking up there. I fell to the ground thinking yes, we're still in it."

Sachse's Summer Saylor and Candice Followwell scored on their first two chances in the shootout. Both had scored in a similar situation to eliminate A&M Consolidated in the area round.

Meyer gave her teammates a chance to get back in it by stopping Sachse's next five runs from 35 yards out. When Taylor O'Haire's attempt hit the football goalpost and shot back on the field, it signaled a reversal of fortune that O'Connor finalized.

Bryan held a 1-0 lead at halftime, but Sachse leveled the score on a penalty kick by Followwell with 32:09 left in regulation. The equalizer was set up when Sally Clark fouled Kendall Williams on the left side of the penalty area. Followwell, a sophomore, sent the penalty kick high into the net.

"We had some momentum but that PK popped our balloon," Pettibone said. "That tells you about the heart of this team and their belief in each other. Back against the wall, momentum switches and they find a way to win."

Meyer was outstanding in goal and made a heady play on a long indirect free kick that went in for Sachse. If she, or anyone, had touched the ball, it would have been the Lady Mustangs' second goal.

Bryan took a 1-0 lead in the opening half. Sierra Garcia was tightly marked on Dani Fellows' throw-in, but the ball still bounced to her and Garcia was able to turn to her right and deliver the only goal of the first half.

Garcia kicked around a defender to rip the ball high into the center of net over Sachse goalkeeper Bridget Esquivel.

Once Bryan began to use the wind, the Lady Vikings threatened. Their best chance to score another goal came before Garcia's strike. Chicas sent a long free kick from just inside Sachse territory to a spot in front of the goal. Freshman Brittany Little pounded the ball hard and quickly but Esquivel was in perfect position to make the save.

Late in the first half Bryan had other chances to build its lead, getting the ball to Garcia. Esquivel left her line to make one good save.

Sachse's ball control gave the Lady Mustangs more opportunities, but the best came when Kendall Williams drove a low shot to her left. Meyer made a diving save for Bryan, and the Lady Mustangs' Kiana Clem could not catch up to the rebound.

Morgan Bradshaw also sent a centering pass to Sachse's Followwell, but she was closely guarded. She headed the ball weakly to the side, and Meyer grabbed it quickly.

"I just can't say enough," Pettibone said. "I love this ride and I'm glad we're riding it all the way to Round Rock. I sure am glad to be in Bryan."