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DECATUR, Ala. – Fifth-seed Point Loma Nazarene advanced to the semifinals of the NAIA National Championships by topping No. 13 Baker (Kan.) on penalty kicks 4-1 Wednesday afternoon. Officially a 1-1 tie, the quarterfinal match wasn't decided in regulation, nor by a golden goal in two overtimes and for the second straight game the Sea Lions persevered in a shootout.

On Friday, PLNU will play Concordia (Ore.) starting at 1:30 p.m. (CST). Azusa Pacific and Lee (Tenn.) will meet in Friday's other semifinal, that tilt starting at 4:00 p.m. The championship match is slated for Saturday at 5 p.m.



The pitch at the Jack Allen Recreational Complex was in better shape than the previous two days. Wednesday, while temperatures were only in the upper 40s, was sunny and without wind; a vast improvement from the near freezing and rainy conditions on Tuesday.

Still, it was much colder than any conditions the San Diego squad has played in since the last time they were in Alabama; and once the sun went down at halftime, the thermostat fell into the 30s again.

To make matters worse, a few of the Sea Lions are suffering from the flu – as well as the usual bumps and bruises that come with competing in the 24th contest of the year.

None of that matters to Baker -- or to any other team playing for a national title.

The Wildcats, Heart of America Athletic Conference champions, would dominate the stat sheet, though some of that might be a bit misleading. For the match, Baker outshot Point Loma 15-8 overall and 9-3 on goal.

“They took a lot of shots, but they were mostly outside of 18 yards,” said Leah Porter. “That's what we want.”

Loma, though, had a huge 10-0 advantage on corner kicks but could not convert any of those into goals.

“We didn't finish the chances we had, especially early on,” said PLNU Coach Tim Hall. “That made it tough on us playing against a good team like Baker. The game became a real battle once the second half started.”

Though most of the Wildcat attempts were easily put away by PLNU keeper Tiffany Kracy, if it wasn't for a team save – which was not credited in the stats – on a header deflection from Erica Wessels, Baker would have gone into the break with a 1-0 lead.

Similar to the first half, the two squads went back-and-forth through the second half. Finally, at the 84 minute mark, Wessels converted on her third goal in Alabama after coming away with a loose ball on a free kick by Kallie Caldwell.

Just like against Westmont on Tuesday, however, the Sea Lions surrendered a goal right after they scored. This time it was Baker forward Jordan Dolbin who took a pass from Amber Pickering and found pay dirt to even the score 1-1 at 87:19.

The match went to overtime and then a second overtime. Both teams had chances but neither could finish and for the second day, PLNU's fate would be decided on PKs.

Loma went first; Wessels' attempt was good. Baker made its first try but Kracy stopped their next two shots. Meanwhile, Kracy and Caldwell made theirs. Up 3-1, Kaycie Hanlin delivered to send Loma off victorious.

“PKs was very well done,” said Hall. “Tiffany [Kracy] was huge and the girl's executed their kicks well. That was how it's supposed to be done.”

The Wildcats close out their season with a 15-3-2 record after advancing to their second consecutive quarterfinal game.

The Sea Lions (19-1-4) will be competing in the program's second semifinal match in three years. No. 8-ranked Concordia, Friday's opponent, beat No. 9 Spring Arbor 2-0 and top-seed Lindsey Wilson 2-1.

"Concordia is a very good team," said Hall. "We will have to play very well. But that's the case with everyone; all the teams here are really good."

Weather conditions are forecast to improve over the next few days with temperatures reaching into the mid-60s.