ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Hamline University jumped out to a 3-0 lead after two periods, an advantage that Augsburg University could not rally from, as the Pipers advanced to the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference postseason playoff title game with a 4-1 win over the visiting Auggies in a semifinal contest on Saturday afternoon.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Hamline 4, Augsburg 1
LOCATION: TRIA Rink at Treasure Island Center, St. Paul, Minn.
RECORDS: Augsburg 14-7-5 overall, Hamline 19-4 3 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Down 3-0 after two periods, Augsburg cut into the lead with a goal from Megan Johnson (JR, Madison, Wis./Memorial HS), assisted by Mikayla Jones (SO, Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater HS), at the 10:03 mark of the third period. But the Auggies were unable to rally further, with an empty-net goal in the final minute sealing the win for the Pipers.
• Augsburg outshot Hamline by a 31-25 margin in the game. Mackenzie Molnar (SO, Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall HS) and Jacie Hoehn (JR, Waseca, Minn./Kasson-Mantorville HS) had five shots on-goal each, with Emily Ach (SO, Brooklyn Park, Minn./Park Center HS) adding four goals.
• Rebecca Sonnek (SR, Edina, Minn./Edina HS) had 21 saves in goal for the Auggies.

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
• Augsburg wrapped up its season with its third straight berth in the five-team MIAC postseason playoffs, as the No. 3 seed. Augsburg has won 13 games or more each of the last three campaigns.
• Saturday's game was the final contest for three Auggie seniors -- Sonnek, Taral Clayton (SR, Anchorage, Alaska/Dimond HS) and Megan Robertson (SR, Boissevain, Manitoba/Boissevain HS). The three seniors produced a 55-36-12 overall record (40-20-11 MIAC) in their four seasons.

FOR THE FOES
• Jordan Hansen scored a goal with two assists for the Pipers, while Madison Kolbow had a goal and an assist. Leah Schwartzman and Madison Gafney also scored goals.
• McKenna Hulsland had 30 saves in goal for Hamline.
• Hamline, the No. 2 seed in the MIAC playoffs, will travel to face top-seed Gustavus in the MIAC playoff championship game next Saturday (3/3) at 2 p.m.