WINONA, Minn. - Winona State University women's soccer senior Ellie Wardell scored perhaps the most important goal of the 2022 Warrior season eight minutes into the second half to break a 1-1 deadlock between WSU and Upper Iowa on Thursday evening, moving the Warriors into a 2-1 lead over the Peacocks. 

Fellow senior Riley Harmon would score a third Warrior goal less than five minutes later and Winona State would go on to beat Upper Iowa 3-1 and make their case for NSIC postseason play.

Heading into the match, Winona State was among five teams in the hunt for four remaining NSIC playoff spots and Warrior fans had one eye on the action in Altra Federal Credit Union Stadium and the other on games from around league. 

Winona State had scored first in the match, with Wardell sending in an inch-perfect cross from the left flank to Madelynn Drasher in the third minute of play.  Drasher one-timed the cross into the back of the net past UIU goalkeeper Isabelle Wagner for a 1-0 Warrior lead. 

However, Upper Iowa responded with a goal of their own seven minutes later, as Chloe Jarosz's effort from the right corner flag eluded the WSU defensive corps and ended up in the goal to knot the game at 1-1.  

Quality chances arose for both teams for the remainder of the first half, with WSU starting goalkeeper Alyson Jumper making a key save on UIU's Katie Samuels shot from distance with ten minutes remaining in the half. Winona State saw a pair of efforts on set pieces go just wide of the Peacock net as the clock wound down in the first frame. 

In the second half, Wardell went from assisting to scoring, as the Midland, Mich. standout struck for Winona State on a rebound, punching home a loose ball at the 53:13 mark of the match. WSU would add an insurance tally at 57:49 when Reanne Weil's corner kick found Riley Harmon in the penalty area and Harmon tallied her team-leading seventh goal of the season. 

Just past the 80-minute mark, senior goalkeeper Yanel Ortiz replaced Jumper in the WSU goal and Winona State held Upper Iowa in check the rest of the way for the 3-1 Warrior win. 

Overall in the game, Winona State (9-5-4, 7-4-4 NSIC) earned 10 corner kicks and had 14 shots, putting nine on net. Upper Iowa (2-12-4, 1-9-4 NSIC) generated six total shots, with four on frame. 

With the win, Winona State moved to 25 points in the league standings. Combined with the St. Cloud State 2-0 win over Minnesota Duluth, WSU vaulted into the top eight, punching their ticket to the NSIC Tournament.  

The official NSIC Soccer Tournament bracket, times and opponent pairings were announced following the conclusion of play around the league. Winona State, the sixth seed, will travel to Augustana University on Monday, Oct. 31. The Vikings and Warriors will kick off 2 p.m. in Sioux Falls.