The Dakota Wesleyan University women’s soccer team already has one Great Plains Athletic Conference championship this season and, thanks to today’s 3-1 win over Hastings College, it will get a chance to play for one more.

The top-seeded Tigers (17-0-3) remained unbeaten and advanced to the GPAC Postseason Women’s Soccer Tournament championship game thanks to a strong showing in the second half of Tuesday’s semifinal at Cadwell Park in Mitchell. DWU will host Saturday’s championship at 1 p.m. against the winner of No. 2 Midland Lutheran College and No. 3 Dordt College in the other semifinal later Tuesday afternoon.

Dakota Wesleyan took down the fourth-seeded Broncos thanks to a strong second half. The two teams went into halftime tied at 1-1, but the Tigers struck for two goals in the final 45 minutes to run their unbeaten streak to an even 20 games.

DWU freshman Kim Duff started the scoring just 12:57 into the game when Kasha Roberts hit her with a nice crossing pass. Then Duff took one dribble to the middle and put her shot past Hastings’ keeper Megan Kreifels for an early 1-0 lead.

The Broncos tied the score at the 24:50 mark on a penalty kick. DWU was called for a hand ball in the box, and Jesse Herse cashed in on the penalty kick to tie the score at 1-1.

Things stayed close into the second half until Roberts scored on a header at 55:39 to put the Tigers up for good. Kayla Pahl set up the goal by streaking down the left side and sending in a perfect crossing pass and Roberts did the rest for the eventual game winner.

Pahl added a goal of her own for a little insurance just five minutes later when she took a short pass from Ellie Peterson and connected on a long shot from about 35 yards out to make it a 3-1 game. From there, the Dakota Wesleyan defense did the rest and the Tigers’ spot in the title game was secure.

Dani Richardson was stellar in goal again for DWU with five saves, and only one goal allowed on the penalty kick. Kreifels made six saves but allowed six goals. DWU out shot Hastings 15-13 and held a 9-6 edge in shots on goal. The Tiger committed more fouls, 18-13, and each team had three corner kicks.

The top-seeded Tigers will try to add the GPAC Postseason Tournament Championship to their trophy case alongside the GPAC regular season championship they claimed by going 11-0-1 in conference play in the regular season. Saturday’s championship game against either Midland Lutheran or Dordt will begin at 1 p.m. at Cadwell Park. Since DWU already claimed an automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament, whichever team they meet in the finals will automatically receive the GPAC’s other bid.

Courtesy: DWU Sports Information.