Gaby Vazquez had already been through this moment.

With the game on the line and time dying down, Vazquez found herself needing to save a penalty to keep Tompkins season alive.

Vazquez did just that, easily handling a penalty shot with just 20 seconds left on the clock to send the game into extra time.

But then she found herself in the same situation when extra time finished without any extra goals and the Falcons bi-district game against George Ranch went to penalties.

But Vazquez stepped up to the plate once again, as George Ranch was unable to convert any penalties and Tompkins downed the Longhorns 3-0 on penalties after a 1-1 tie at full time.

“It was such a crazy feeling,” Vazquez said. We practice penalties at the end of every practice and I think just doing that really prepares us for them. Especially for the shooters, it gets them ready for these moments. For me, it’s more of a mind thing. Everyone knows you have to kind of guess where the shooter is going, so I just tried to not get in my own head and just went with my gut and it worked.”

It was a whirlwind final few minutes and overtime for the Falcons. With just five minutes remaining in the match, Tompkins earned a penalty and Mackinlee Poole coolly converted it to put the Falcons ahead.

But, that lead would last for only one minute. The Falcons let themselves get comfortable after the goal and immediately paid as George Ranch tied in on an Annie Schoditsch goal. And just minutes after that, George Ranch got a penalty that could have sent the Longhorns to the area round. But Vazquez made sure it didn’t, and breathed new life int the Falcons.

“We had to understand that we are fighting for this team and we’re fighting for every single senior from here on out,” Poole said. “We know that we needed to be in this second round and that we could do it. I think that’s what did it for us and why we were able to bounce back the way we did.”

Tompins and George Ranch continued to go back and forth in the extra period, with both getting chances but being unable to put the game away. Leading to the game going to penalties, where Vazqeuz secured the victory while three out of the four Tompkins penalty takers converted their opportunities.

“I told them after the game that they’ve been through the whole playoff experience now in just one game,” said Tompkins head coach Jarrett Shipman. “There’s no surprises for them anymore. They know what it’s going to take in every game and I’m just proud of their mental effort to hang in there and overcome everything they faced today.”

Tompkins will face Bellaire at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Legacy Stadium in the area round of the playoffs.

“I’m just so proud of what we did,” Vazquez said. “This has been my favorite season and it’s because of who I’m playing with. Every person on this team, they’re just all my friends and I love them. I’m super proud of them tonight, everyone really pulled through.”