BOXSCORE NORTHFIELD, Minn. -- Marie Fitzgerald (FY, Fort Atkinson, Wis.) scored the game-winning goal 4:08 into the first overtime, sending the Augsburg College women's soccer team to the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference playoff championship game with a 2-1 win over host St. Olaf College in a conference semifinal game on Wednesday afternoon at Rolf Mellby Field.

Fitzgerald headed home a cross from Bri Dorale (SR, Ramsey, Minn./Anoka HS) in the 96th minute for her fourth goal of the season, lifting the Auggies to their first conference playoff game win in its fifth trip to the conference playoffs.

"What a game. I thought both teams proved they belonged in the playoffs," said Augsburg head coach Mike Navarre. "St Olaf played very well and really got after the game in the second half. We were able to regroup and recommit to the task after regulation. Additionally, we made an adjustment that allowed us to push more players forward. Bri Dorale has been huge for us at the end of the year; she was able to break a player down and send in a good service. Marie Fitzgerald's finish was outstanding."

With the victory over No. 2-seed St. Olaf (8-7-4 overall), No. 3-seed Augsburg (12-5-2) will advance to the MIAC playoff championship game at top-seed Concordia-Moorhead (15-3-1) on Saturday (11/3) at 2 p.m. in Moorhead, Minn. Concordia beat No. 4-seed St. Benedict (7-6-4) 1-0 in Wednesday's other semifinal. The winner of Saturday's playoff championship game will earn the MIAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III national playoffs.

Goalkeeper Katie Gajewski (JR, Wausau, Wis./Wausau East HS) collected seven saves in goal, including several crucial saves late in the contest, to earn the victory.

"Obviously several players have to perform well to get a win of that magnitude, but Katie Gajewski deserves special recognition. She made some excellent saves to keep the match level and allow us to get our confidence back heading into overtime," Navarre said.

The Auggies got on the scoreboard first, as Dorale scored her fourth goal of the season in the 37th minute, finishing a scramble in front of the net following a corner kick. Rachel Nelson (JR, Coon Rapids, Minn.) was credited with the assist on Dorale's goal. St. Olaf tied the game in the 60th minute, as Megan Fellows (SO, Urbandale, Iowa) scored an unassisted goal.

Augsburg outshot St. Olaf by a 17-12 margin, including a 4-0 advantage in overtime. Nora Forbes (JR, Edina, Minn.) had six saves in goal for St. Olaf. Dorale, Fitzgerald, Bri Clark (SR, Mound, Minn./Mound-Westonka HS) and Olivia Muyres (SO, Rochester, Minn./Lourdes HS) had three shots each for the Auggies.

In Augsburg's meeting with Concordia on Oct. 23 in Moorhead, the Cobbers claimed a 2-1 victory over the Auggies, rallying from a 1-0 deficit with two goals in the final 10 minutes of the second half, including the game-winning goal with 20 seconds to play.

"Now it's on to Moorhead. I guess it's fitting, they've clearly been the best team in the league so far," Navarre said. "We played them very well last time, despite playing with 10 players for the majority of the game. They showed why they are the champs in getting two goals in the final nine minutes to win 2-1. So we are excited to have a chance to play them again and obviously want to get to the national tournament."