MANKATO, Minn. – The Winona State soccer team's best defensive performance of the season and a second straight game-winner from Kati Baker gave the Warriors a 2-0 win over Minnesota Duluth Friday in the NSIC/US Bank Soccer Tournament semifinals at The Pitch in Mankato.

Less-than-ideal playing conditions – a mixture of strong winds and rain – could not stop the Warriors from getting on the board early. It would take less than three minutes for WSU to record all the scoring it would need, as Baker found the back of the net on an assist from Devon Richards for her second straight game-winning goal of the tournament and a 1-0 lead.

From that point forward, the story was the phenomenal play by the WSU defense, which stymied the Bulldogs from start to finish. UMD mustered just four shots in the entire game and it took until the 89th minute to force WSU goalkeeper Rachel Oleson to have to make a save – her only one of the game.

Baker finished exactly the way she started, adding her own insurance goal in the 86th minute unassisted to continue her fantastic tournament with her third goal in two games to solidify Winona State's place in the title game. Baker, who also scored the game winner Wednesday night in a 1-0 win over Southwest Minnesota State, did not have a goal this season prior to tournament play.

WSU posted 13 shots in the match with four on goal, while the Bulldogs managed just four shots with only one on target. Taylor Zehren led all players with four shots on the game, while Baker and Nicole Sames each had two.

Winona State (15-4-1) moves on to the NSIC/US Bank Soccer Tournament championship game Sunday at 1 p.m. vs No. 1 Minnesota State in Mankato.