For the second straight game, the Muhlenberg men's soccer team extended its season in a shootout.

The Mules (8-5-8) defeated 24th-ranked Case Western Reserve, 5-4 on penalty kicks, following a scoreless tie to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. They will play the pod host, 22nd-ranked Washington and Lee, a 5-1 winner against Brevard in the other first-round match, on Sunday at 3:00 with a trip to the "Sweet 16" at stake.

As it has in all four of its postseason games, Muhlenberg faced a deficit in shots, but this game was more evenly played than the scoreless tie at Johns Hopkins in the Centennial Conference championship game. Both teams had chances to score. The Mules had a golden opportunity to take a lead late in the first half, but the Spartan goalie made a big save on a shot from close range by senior Greyson King.

The Spartans (10-3-4) threatened to end the game twice in the second overtime period. With just under five minutes left, freshman Ben Mulford stopped a shot from inside the box on a breakaway. Then in the final 10 seconds, Mulford used his reflexes to turn away another point-blank attempt, pushing it high over the crossbar.

Just like it did against Johns Hopkins, Muhlenberg went second in the shootout. The first three Mules to shoot - sophomore Kevin Adams and seniors Chris Richards and Taylan Akdag - converted following successful PKs by Case.

In the fourth round, Mulford dove to his left to save a Spartan attempt, and Muhlenberg had its opening. Junior Luke Feeney stepped up to take his first postseason penalty and made good on his try to give the Mules a 4-3 lead heading into the final round.

The Spartans made their fifth PK, but all Muhlenberg needed for the win was for sophomore Jason Edelstein to make his. And he did, depositing his kick in the back of the net while the Case goalie dove in the opposite direction.

The Mules are 2-0-2 this postseason, with three of the results coming against nationally ranked teams, and have not allowed a goal in 400 minutes. It's only the second time they've recorded four shutouts in one postseason (the other was 2014), and the first time they've won two shootouts in the same postseason. Muhlenberg is 9-0-2 in its last 11 postseason games.