MATTHEWS, N.C. ---  Minnesota State freshman Marin Johnson hammered home a rebound at the 70:48 mark to break a 1-1 tie and propel the Mavericks to the NCAA National Championship Game as MSU downed Columbus State, 2-1, in the NCAA National Semifinals. 

With the win, the Mavericks (18-1-7) advances to the NCAA Championship game Sunday afternoon against Cal Poly Ponoma. The Broncos advanced to the Championship game after defeating Franklin Pierce, 4-0.

Just minutes after Columbus State’s Elle Henschel tied the game at one, Minnesota State junior Courtney Kovacs pushed the ball up field as the Mavericks had an odd-man rush.  Kovacs went to bury a shot upper center, however it just bounced off the crossbar, falling to Johnson’s feet.

Johnson took two steps toward the goal and lifted a shot to the upper 90 on the right side to push the Mavericks back ahead 2-1.   The goal was Johnson’s fourth of the season and her third game-winning goal.

“I was there at the right time at the right place,” said Johnson, “I saw the ball hit the top of the crossbar and I told myself to put it in the back of the net and that’s what I did.”

Minnesota State opened the game with a strong offensive push. Junior Addison Clarey beat a pair of Cougar defenders to the left side of the goal mouth and planted a left-footed shot into the right side of the net, just beyond the fingertips of Columbus State goaltender Heidi Harris. 

The Mavericks would take that 1-0 lead into the half. 

In the second half, the Cougars came out firing seven of the stanzas first ten shots.  One of those shots was a penalty shot off the foot of Sarah Hungerford that Minnesota State senior goalkeeper Clare Loungueville read correctly and batted away to her right. 

Roughly eight minutes later, however, Henschel would score the equalizer to knot the game at one and ultimately set up the game-winner from Johnson.

Longueville finished the night with ten saves on 11 shots on goal. 

“We wanted to start fast coming out of the gates,” said head coach Brian Bahl.  “We created some quality chances early on.  We weren’t fazed when they tied it up, they were focused and determined to get that goal back and put us ahead. Columbus State threw a lot at us and it was a tremendous effort by our ladies.”

The loss was the first of the season for Columbus State who entered the national semifinals as the top-seed.  Their year ends with a 22-1-2 record.