MANKATO, Minn. – Tied after a pair of overtimes, the Winona State soccer team came up clutch in penalty kicks to upset top-seed and No. 3 Minnesota State Friday afternoon.
With the shootout win, the Warriors advance to the NSIC Championship to face Augustana Sunday at 1 p.m. in Mankato.
Though officially the game ended as a 1-1 tie, the Warriors were the clutch team in the decisive penalty kicks as Kelsey Foss, Chase Rehm and Kati Baker each buried their shots in order, while MSU's Dana Savino, Kiana Nickel and Laura Schwickerath each came up empty on their attempts after WSU goalkeeper Rachel Oleson saved the first two and the final shot bounced unsuccessfully off the post.
WSU fought hard to send it to penalty kicks, and an evenly played first half – despite a pair of great opportunities by Rehm – remained 0-0.
NSIC Freshman of the Year Abby Bohanski lived up to her new title with perhaps her most impressive goal of the season in the 53rd minute. Bohanski received a feed from Meg Riebau and dribbled the ball between Mavericks before firing a shot past MSU goalkeeper Lauren Hoeppner for a 1-0 lead.
In danger of suffering its first shutout of the season, NSIC Offensive Player of the Year Korey Kronforst scored in the 78th minute for Minnesota State to provide the equalizer, knocking in a ball that was sitting in front of the net after Oleson was out of position to make the save. But despite an 11-4 advantage in shots in the second half, MSU managed just the one goal.
The Warriors had a great opportunity to win it in the first overtime when a free kick from Riebau was on target but MSU's Hoeppner stretched out to make a tough save just under the crossbar to keep the game tied at 1-1. Each time managed just one shot in the first overtime, while MSU had a 4-3 edge in the second.
Minnesota State outshot the Warriors 24-14 in the game, but held a slim 8-6 edge on shots on goal.
Riebau led WSU with a game-high seven shots while putting three on target. Baker and Rehm each had two shots and one on goal, while Bohanski scored on her only shot of the game.
