THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - Sadie Brown saved a penalty kick late in the first half to preserve a 1-1 tie and Annie McKinley scored the go-ahead goal early in the second half as the third-seeded Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's soccer team knocked off second-seeded and defending national champion Cal Lutheran 2-1 in the SCIAC Semfinals on Wednesday evening at William Roland Stadium. 

With the win, CMS advances to face top-seeded Pomona-Pitzer on the road on Saturday for the SCIAC Championship, after the Sagehens knocked off fourth-seeded Whittier 1-0 in the other semifinal. The Athenas now stand at 12-3-3 overall, while Cal Lutheran slips to 12-3-4 with the loss and will have to await a potential at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. 

The Athenas were able to overcome an early deficit after Jazy Campbell scored for Cal Lutheran just 3:34 into the game to give the Regals a quick 1-0 lead. CMS was able to withstand the early pressure, and pull even with 12:58 left in the half, when Cate Lewison converted off a feed form Flora Glantz to knot the score 1-1. 

Brown was then whistled for a foul in the penalty area with 10:51 left in the half, resulting in a penalty kick for Cal Lutheran, but she was able to step up with a big save to keep the game deadlocked. The score remained tied until the opening minutes of the second half, when CMS was awarded a free kick in the Cal Lutheran end of the field.

Tori Holden took the kick and had her shot saved, but McKinley was the first to the rebound, and tucked a low shot into the net to put CMS ahead with 36:51 to play. It was McKinley's fifth goal of the season, all of which have come on set pieces moving forward from her center back spot, with the first four coming on corner kicks taken by Riley Zitar. 

The Athena defense then held firm the rest of the way, as Brown didn't have a second half save, although she got some assistance from the goalkeeper's best friend, as Campbell hit the post with 5:50 left to keep the game 2-1. Campbell had one last shot attempt blocked, but CMS was able to see out the closing minutes to preserve the win and advance through to the SCIAC finals. 

CMS will face Pomona-Pitzer for the third time this season, falling 2-0 at Pomona-Pitzer earlier in the season, and then falling 1-0 in the rematch at home on Saturday. The winner will receive the SCIAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship, while the loser will stand in strong shape to earn an at-large selection.