SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The Winona State University women's soccer team earned a trip to 2022 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Soccer Tournament, a return to the postseason following a four year absence. 

Winona State (9-5-4, 7-4-4 NSIC), the sixth seed, will travel to and take on Augustana University; the Vikings earned the third seed in the tournament with a 10-6-2 overall mark and 10-4-1 league ledger.

Winona State punched their ticket in dramatic fashion on Thursday, Oct. 27, winning at home 3-1 over Upper Iowa University. That Warrior win, combined with a variety of results around the league broke loose a five-team group of squads that saw the Thursday musical chairs results move Winona State to postseason. 

When the dust settled, WSU vaulted to sixth overall in the final standings, thanks to a pair of second half goals against the Peacocks. First, Winona State's Ellie Wardell broke a 1-1 deadlock shortly after halftime, notching what would be the game-winning goal against UIU at the 53:13 mark. Then, Riley Harmon added what would be not only an insurance goal for the Warriors on the evening to move the scoreboard to a 3-1 final, but also allow Winona State to climb above two other teams on total goal difference, one of the additional tiebreakers.  

On Monday, Winona State will face a third-seeded Augustana University side that has won three straight matches heading into postseason play. The Vikings defeated the Warriors 2-0 on Oct. 23 in a close contest in which WSU out shot the Vikings 9-8 overall and the two teams combine for 15 fouls, eight called against the Warriors. 

In 2022, Winona State has used a broad range of players to supplement the Warrior offense, led by Riley Harmon with seven goals and one assist, while Jaida Wiege has five goals on the year. Ellie Wardell leads the team in assists with four and has found the back of the net herself at a critical time against Upper Iowa. 

Defensively, WSU has been strong all year, led by defensive center-mid Reanne Weil who is most frequently deployed in front of a back line that features Bailey Deininger, Katie Timmons and Callie Menzel, and Hannah Dunlavy. 

Goalkeepers Chloe Swanson and Alyson Jumper have combined for 18 starts, with Swanson owning a 7-4-3 mark and Jumper a 2-1-1 record. The Warriors and Vikings kick off at 2 p.m. on Molstad Field at Augustana University.