OAKDALE — The third time was not the charm for Manteca on Friday when it got one more shot at exacting revenge against fellow Valley Oak League co-champion Oakdale.

The Buffaloes lost the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III semifinal at The Corral 5-3 in a penalty-kick shootout after a 1-1 draw through regulation and two extra-time periods.  

It was fittingly Stanislaus State-bound winger Kyndra Obermeyer who locked down the victory for the second-seeded Mustangs (18-6-3), sneaking her attempt from the spot over the reach of Manteca goalkeeper Haylie Brasil and under the crossbar. Obermeyer netted Oakdale’s goal in the 30th minute, and No. 3 Manteca (23-3-3) answered with Joanna Roa’s tally in the 68th.

Oakdale will play for the championship next Thursday at Cosumnes River College No. 4 Rio Americano (12-3-2) of Sacramento. The Raiders stunned top-seeded West Park 1-0 in the other semifinal.

For Manteca, it’s a bitter end to what has been a mostly-dominant season. The Buffaloes only dropped three matches in their busy schedule, but all three just so happened to come against Oakdale.

“We’re a physical team, but their physicality mixed with their run-through-you style — we struggled to possess the ball. We’re normally a good possession team, we just had trouble in getting settled.”

Oakdale coach Kico Monares credits his team’s toughness and grit to the early-morning conditioning sessions in the fall. The Mustangs have managed to earn their spot in the final despite missing top player Jocelyn Gradilla to what Monares called “a medical emergency.”

“She hasn’t played all postseason, but she’s been a stud for us,” Monares said. “Not having her, I knew it was going to be a challenge. But we found a way.”

Oakdale was the aggressor for much of the first half, owning possession and getting off more shots, 6-3. The Buffaloes did have the best opportunities in the first 15 minutes, but they could not capitalize.

Standout scorer Alexia Alva broke past Oakdale’s back line in the fourth minute after controlling a free kick from deep in the Manteca third. She deked one defender and had a 1v1 with Oakdale goalie Avery Alves, but heavy touches on the slick artificial turf forced Alva to take her shot from a narrow angle and hit the left post.

In the 15th minute, defender Tatiana Orozco served a dangerous free kick into the penalty box, and Sienna sneaked past the back line but couldn’t bring it down off the bounce as an Oakdale defender headed it away.

Obermeyer was in the right spot for the first goal of the game, cleaning up after freshman striker Dakota Burford had her shot blocked by Brasil.

Manteca started the second half on the front foot with Alva again spearheading the attack. She was tripped up inside the 18-yard box, but Manteca was denied the penalty kick as the assistant referee determined that the contact occurred before she crossed the line.  Roa’s ensuing direct kick was blown over the goal.

The sophomore did not miss on her next opportunity, however.

Now playing at a more advanced positon alongside Alva, Roa settled a cross from Jones and drilled a low strike between Alves and the near post to knot the score. Manteca nearly scored moments earlier when the two forwards connected on a give-and-go into the box, but Alva’s attempt was kicked directly to the keeper.

The Buffaloes continued their late charge into overtime. Although Oakdale had the run of play as well as multiple set-piece opportunities in the extra periods, Manteca had the only clean shot on goal. Roa’s launched it from long range on a counterattack, but Alves was able to pick up the routine save.

“We added the second forward up top to see how they’d react, and then when we knew we needed one we put three up there,” Coeneneberg said. “We rode it out in the last 10 minutes. We were going for (a second goal). We thought we had the momentum and maybe we could squeak another one in. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.”

In the shootout, Roa converted on Manteca’s first shot, but the second missed. Kailee Jackson and Corrine Jones made theirs, but the Buffs never got the chance to get their fifth attempt.

“First half I thought we weren’t leaving it all on the field,” Coeneneberg said. “We felt like we could get a little more out of them. I kind of got after them a little bit at halftime, and they came out in the second half and played their hearts out. That’s all I could ask. I felt they gave everything they could. Obviously disappointed in the loss, but proud of the way we responded in the second half and even in overtime.”