It only took a split-second for Tiffany Groene to become recognized by the Ohio Valley Conference. And if she wasn’t a household name for Eastern sports fans before Sunday afternoon, she certainly is now.

Groene, Eastern’s sophomore keeper, made the save of the season when she stopped Sara Geiger of Samford to start the penalty shootout in the finals of the OVC tournament Sunday in Birmingham, Ala.

After Groene’s stop, Eastern connected on all five of their penalty kicks to take the OVC crown by a 5-4 margin.

“It (the save) was crucial to us that we were up 1-0,” Panthers head coach Steve Ballard said referring to Groene’s stop. “It was critical because it put more pressure on them and it took a little off of us.”

Just how was Groene able to stop a rocket shot from just 12 yards away? The keeper’s heroics were set up by a keen eye the day before.

“We watched them the day before and they all shot to the left,” Groene said. “So our coach just told me to make my first hesitation to the left.”

The situation was similar to last year’s OVC tournament when the Panthers’ other goalie, Lindsay Dechert, halted Southeast Missouri in penalty kicks as well. Even though Ballard has seen this situation before, it was still one of the biggest saves he has witnessed in his nine seasons leading the Panthers.

“Last year Lindsay made some big saves in the NCAA Tournament and in the conference tournament for us, but (Groene’s save) is right up there with the top two or three saves I’ve seen.”

While Groene acknowledged it was an important stop, the Rockford native mentioned she has made other significant saves and looks forward to the NCAA Tournament for more meaningful chances.

“It’s up there among my biggest,” Groene said. “It was a big save for me, but I’ve had other penalty kick opportunities where we’ve won something really big. If it was the NCAA Tournament then it really would have been awesome. It was a big block but I think the people who put it in the goal were more important than what I did.”

Possibly more impressive than the save is Groene’s comeback story from an ACL injury. The injury forced Groene to redshirt in 2001 and heading into this season she had appeared in just 12 games and starting four. But her sophomore season hasn’t resulted in a slump like many athletes encounter. Groene has logged over 1,100 minutes, has a goals against average of 1.02 and has an 8-2-3 record for the year.

“She’s played very well,” Ballard said. “Even though she didn’t start at the beginning of the season she worked hard and that has been her strength coming back from the injury and the ACL she worked harder and harder and has developed into our best keeper.”

All of the injuries Groene suffered made her question her decision to play soccer, but after the Panthers won the OVC in 2001 the keeper became reenergized to hit the field.

“I know Dechert worked really hard her freshman year before coming in and that was right after my ACL, and I was like “should I play, do I want to play,” but when I watched them win the first year and last year I wanted to comeback and play and also start,” Groene said.

For the Panthers it’s a good thing Greone decided to play because now she is counted on to continue her strong play this Friday night when the Panthers take on Missouri in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

“We expect splendid play out of her,” Ballard said. “We just want her to play consistent and for all of our keepers to save the balls they should.”