MUNCIE, IN - Toledo and Northern Illinois battled to a scoreless tie through regulation and two overtime periods on Friday afternoon at the BSU Soccer Field, before the Midnight Blue and Gold advanced, 4-3, on penalty kicks.

The Rockets (14-5-2), who entered the tournament as the second-seed, advance to Sunday’s finals at 1:00 p.m. for the second-consecutive season against the winner of today’s second semifinal between top-seed Ball State and fourth-seed Bowling Green.

"This was a great win for our program," Toledo Head Coach Brad Evans said. "Northern Illinois played an excellent match against us and I give them a lot of credit. They really made things difficult on us, but our team hung tough, managed to get the match to penalty kicks and found a way to win."

NIU, the third seed, sees its season come to an end with a record of 10-5-5.

In the penalty-kick phase, the teams alternated through the rounds. UT sophomore Molly Cornwell, the recently-named 2007 MAC Player of the Year, opened the session with a goal and the Rockets preserved a 1-0 lead when sophomore netminder Andrea Plewes stopped the attempt off the foot of Thea Johnson.

In the second round, both UT junior Tara Witt and NIU’s Karen Enockson scored to make it 2-1.

Huskie goalie Lindsey Ali Shingler came up big in round three, stopping an attempt by Toledo senior Pene Hughes. NIU’s Jenna Clausen then found the back of the net to knot the score at 2-2.

In round four, UT’s Plewes scored and the tally was quickly answered by NIU’s Lisa Maier to tie the score again, 3-3.

Neither the Rockets’ junior Rachel White nor the Huskies’ Erin Fahey were able to convert in the fifth round, keeping the score deadlocked, before the winning tally came off the foot of UT freshman Brittany Hensler.

The Strongsville, OH native scored the deciding goal for defending tourney champs and Northern Illinois’ Elaine Eliadis fired a shot off the cross bar to end the match in the sixth round of penalty kicks.

The victory extended Toledo’s winning streak over the Huskies to six matches, dating back to the 2003 campaign, a stretch that included a 2-1 decision in last year’s MAC finals.

For the match, the Huskies held a 14-9 advantage in shot attempts, but the Rockets had a slim 6-3 edge in corner kicks. Both goalkeepers pitched shutouts, with Plewes making six saves and Curnock two.

A total of 22 fouls were called, with the Huskies being whistled for 13.

TOLEDO 0, Northern Illinois 0 (2OT)
Rockets advance, 4-3, on penalty kicks

Penalty Kick Order
1. Molly Cornwell, UT (kick good)
2. Leah Johnson, NIU (kick failed, saved)
3. Tara Witt, UT (kick good)
4. Karen Enockson, NIU (kick good)
5. Pene Hughes, UT (kick failed, wide right)
6. Jenna Clausen, NIU (kick good)
7. Andrea Plewes, UT (kick good)
8. Lisa Maier, NIU (kick good)
9. Rachel White, UT (kick failed, post)
10. Erin Fahey, NIU (kick failed, saved)
11. Brittany Hensley, UT (kick good)
12. Elaine Eliadis, NIU (kick failed, cross bar)

SHOTS: UT 9, NIU 14
CORNER KICKS: UT 6, NIU 3
SAVES: UT 6, NIU 2
FOULS: UT 9, NIU 13