MANKATO, Minn. – With the tying goal in the 83^rd minute from Ashlyn Watt and a penalty kick shootout victory, Minnesota State women's soccer defeated Grand Valley State to advance to the NCAA Division II National Semifinals in Cary, North Carolina, for the first time in program history Saturday at the Pitch.
 
Watt's goal knotted the contest at 1-1 after Sara Fromm scored for the Lakers in the 41^st minute to grab the early lead. The Mavericks and Lakers previously met twice in their long history in the Division II quarterfinals, but Saturday marked the first time Minnesota State prevailed.
 
MSU goalkeeper Clare Longueville made 10 saves in the regulation and overtime periods. Then Lauren McAlpine backstopped the Mavericks in the shootout. Maddix Archer, Avery Korsching, Mallie Mathis, Watt, and Courtney Kovacs all scored on penalty kicks. McAlpine dove to her left and blocked Amanda Palmer's low shot on the final try as the rest of the Mavericks stormed the field.
 
The game featured poignant chances on goal by both teams. Marin Johnson rang the post in the 13^th minute for MSU. Korsching, who scored the game-winner last week in the NCAA Regional Championship game fired a shot with 17 minutes remaining in regulation that Cailynn Junk of GVSU did well to stop.
 
Junk also featured as the first penalty kick shooter for the Lakers and put it across the line.
 
Minnesota State (18-1-6) won regular season and NSIC Tournament titles this fall. The Mavericks are the No. 4 seed and play top-seeded Columbus State on December 13 at 2 p.m. CT in Matthews, North Carolina.