Second-year program Kennesaw State and five-time NCAA champion Franklin Pierce on Thursday won tight Division II semifinals to set up a title showdown Saturday at Virginia Beach, Va.
Second-ranked Kennesaw State (24-1-0) edged 2002 finalist Nebraska-Omaha, 1-0, as freshman Alissa Saylor scored from Jenae Gzehoviak's pass in the 60th minute.
Franklin Pierce (22-2-0) overcame UC San Diego, 2-1, on Sonya Hughes' overtime goal.
Hughes dribbled past three defenders before beating goalkeeper Kami Poma in the 100th minute as UCSD was denied a title-game berth for the second successive season after winning titles in 2000 and 2001, its first two seasons as a D2 program.
The Tritons (18-3-1), who beat No. 1 Metro State in the quarterfinals, went ahead on Megan Dickey's fourth-minute goal, but Hughes fed Laura Hislop's 31st goal of the season in the 27th minute to tie the score.
Hughes has eight goals and 19 assists.
Kennesaw State went 18-1-0 in its first season — the only loss a penalty-kick decision against North Florida in the NCAA quarterfinals. The Owls' only on-field loss in two years is a 2-1 defeat to 2002 champion Christian Brothers in late September.
Nebraska-Omaha finished at 17-4-2.
NCAA DIVISION II
Semifinals
Thursday, Dec. 4 at Virginia Beach, Va.
Kennesaw State 1 (Saylor 60) Nebraska-Omaha 0
Franklin Pierce 2 (Hislop 27, Hughes 100) UC San Diego 1 (Dickey 4) (OT)
Final
Saturday, Dec. 6 at Virginia Beach, Va.
Kennesaw State (24-1-0) vs. Franklin Pierce (22-2-0), 6 p.m. EST