Box Score Mankato, Minn.  --- The third-ranked Minnesota State women’s soccer team was unable to advance to the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference championship game as it was defeated 3-2 in a shootout by Minot State Friday afternoon.  The game officially ended in a 1-1 draw prior to the shootout which was used to determine who advanced to Sunday's championship game.

The Beavers would strike first in the 29th minute when Zoe Fischer played a corner kick off the finger tips of MSU goalkeeper Molly McGough that Tara McPartland banged home giving MISU a 1-0 lead.

After the goal, Minot State was content to play an unconventional defense stacking eight or nine defenders inside the box.

In the second half, Minnesota State continued its heavy offensive pressure barely allowing the ball to enter its own half of the pitch.  The persistence paid off when junior Tori Meinhardt found the back of the net with just 96 seconds left in regulation after a flurry of shots in front of Beaver netminder Marie Torres tying the match a one a piece.

Neither team was able to break the tie after two overtime periods sending the match to a shootout.  Minnesota State outshot Minot State 35-3 in the match, including a 14-2 on goal advantage.

The Beavers would score on their first three attempts, while Torres stopped two of the first three MSU chances giving MISU a 3-1 lead.  Senior midfielder Brianne West found twine, while Minot State’s Taylor Carlstrom hit the crossbar to open the door for the Mavericks.  Senior midfielder Ashley Sykora just missed extending the shootout when she hit the crossbar advancing the Beavers to the NSIC championship match.

Minnesota State (16-1-3, 14-0-1 NSIC) awaits its fate as the final NCAA Central Region rankings will be released Monday November 5th at 6:30 p.m. will the top six teams advancing to the NCAA tournament.