WARRENSBURG, Mo. -- For the first time since 2015, the RiverHawks are heading the to MIAA Tourament Championship. Northeastern State stung the Lady Hornets for the second time this season in dramatic fashion needing PKs to advance Friday evening. 

The score will go in the books as a 1-1 (2OT) tie with NSU getting past Emporia, a team that has ended their season in the tournament one year ago by a shootout score of 3-2.

Northeastern State a team that was picked to finish seventh by the MIAA Coaches in the preseason, will play Central Oklahoma for the tournament title this Sunday. 

Despite the final going in NSU's favor, things did not look that way most of regulation. 

The Lady Hornets were the first ones to score, as in the 17th minute Hannah Woolery scored to put them up 1-0. Despite NSU getting good chances, they were unable to convert any of them and entered the half trailing 1-0.

That would all change in the 67th minute when Emily Seiler took a free-kick just outside the box and put it in the lower-left corner of the net to even the score.

Despite both teams having scoring opportunities late, neither team was able to convert, and the match remained tied at one. Both overtime periods saw scoring chances. Still, again, the goalkeepers were standing firm, sending the match to a penalty shootout, which the RiverHawks won 3-2 thanks to goals from Paige Lorenzo, Paulina Chavez, and Anslea Haikey.

Sarah Rector had four shots to lead the RiverHawks, while Seiler had two. Chavez and Jaylehn Maples both had one shot on goal.

The RiverHawks are now 14-4-2 this season while the Lady Hornets end their season with a record of 13-4-3. 

The tournament championship will be covered live on The MIAA Network at no charge with kick-off set for 1 p.m.