SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – After playing to a scoreless first half, No. 2 seed Augustana (15-3-1) pulled away from the No. 7 seed, Southwest Minnesota State soccer team (11-7), in the second half with a 3-1 final at Morstad Field in the quarterfinals of the NSIC tournament on Wednesday afternoon, to conclude the 2019 season for SMSU.

The teams played to a scoreless first half as the Vikings outshot the Mustangs, by just one shot, 11-10. The Mustangs had a productive first half with four shots on goal while the Vikings only had one.

The Vikings finished with 24 shots opposed to the Mustangs 13 as Augie took off with a momentum in the second half.

Augie went on the board first in the 53rd minute as Grace Behm scored her eighth goal of the season to give the Vikings a 1-0 lead.

Minutes later, the Mustangs retaliated with strong looks to the goal as Alex Lotts put a shot on goal, deflected by Augie’s goalkeeper, Claudia Pueschner, who finished the game with six saves. Alli Miskowiec came right behind for another shot on goal, again, deflected by Pueschner. Amid chaos in the box, a hand-ball would give the Mustangs a penalty kick opportunity with 31 minutes on clock in the second. Olivia Harriger, who was 3-of-3 for penalty kicks this season, sent the ball wide right.

The Vikings would take the ball into their offensive zone to score their next goals just two minutes apart in the 66th minute and the 68th with goals from Morgan Kierstead, her fifth on the season, and Josie Arduser, her third, for a 3-0 lead with 18 minutes remaining.

It was SMSU’s true freshman, Lotts, who broke away down the middle of the field to put the Mustangs on the board with a goal in the 85th minute, her sixth on the season.

SMSU’s goalkeeper Amanda Haimes finished her freshman season with an 11-7 record between the posts with her four saves on the day.

Wednesday’s matchup was the final game for Mustang seniors, Alli Miskowiec, Alyssa Cerullo, and Kelli Wentz.

No. 2 seed Augustana, will face No. 3 seed Minnesota State on Friday in the semifinals of the NSIC tournament.

— Content courtesy of

SMSU Athletic Communications