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SAINT PETER, Minn. – The No. 10-ranked Norwich University women's ice hockey team continued its Cinderella run towards its first-ever national title on Friday afternoon as the Cadets upset No. 2-ranked Elmira College, 3-2, in a national semifinal contest at Don Roberts Ice Rink on the campus of Gustavus Adolphus College.

The Cadets (20-5-5) advance to the national championship game, which will be played on Saturday, March 20, at 7 p.m. Norwich's opponent in the game will be either No. 1-ranked Amherst College or No. 6-ranked Gustavus Adolphus as those two teams will square off in the second national semifinal.

Sophomore F Julie Fortier scored the game-winning goal with 6:30 remaining in the third period, snapping a 2-2 tie with an unassisted marker. The game winner came less than two minutes after Elmira had knotted the score. The Soaring Eagles seemed to grab the momentum with the equalizer, but the Cadets quickly stole it back with Fortier's tally.

Junior G Cindy Fortin continued her terrific play between the pipes for the Cadets, stopping 32 of the 34 shots that she faced to pick up the victory.

Norwich opened the scoring at 7:32 of the first period when sophomore F Brittane Michaud scored her 10th goal of the season off assists from sophomore F Melissa Rundlett and sophomore D Sarianne Lynn. Lynn started the play when she ripped a slap shot from the right point that Rundlett deflected. The deflection caromed over to Michaud just outside the crease. The second-year forward wasted little time snapping off a wrist shot that beat Elmira goaltender Lauren Sullivan to put Norwich in front 1-0. It marked Michaud's seventh goal in the team's last four games, as she has gotten hot at the right time for the Cadets.

Both teams fired 14 shots on goal during an entertaining opening 20 minutes of play. Fortin was tested throughout the stanza, but the third-year net minder was able to stop all 14 shots that she faced. As a result, the Cadets skated into the first intermission with a 1-0 advantage.

Norwich doubled its lead at 5:23 of the second period when Rundlett netted her 11th marker of the season off a feed from Fortier.

Elmira (23-5-1) got its first power play opportunity 32 seconds later, and the Soaring Eagles cashed in on it at the 7:42 mark when Lauryn DePaul scored off assists from Jillayne DeBus and Ana Steele-Norton. Walker held the puck near the top of the left-hand faceoff circle before zipping a pass to DePaul near the right side of the crease for the goal. Elmira entered the weekend with the nation's top-ranked power play (29.0 percent), and the Soaring Eagles made the Cadets pay for taking the penalty.

Fortin had to make a huge save with 3:38 to play when an Elmira player stole a Norwich clearing pass and skated in all alone before shooting from the slot area. The stop by Fortin helped the Cadets hold onto their one-goal lead.

Elmira enjoyed a 12-11 edge in shots during the second period, but it was Norwich that skated into the intermission with a 2-1 lead on the scoreboard.

The Soaring Eagles began to turn up the pressure in the third period, and they tallied the equalizer at 11:47 of the frame when Madison Johnston scored an unassisted goal. The Cadets could not clear their zone and Elmira made them pay as Johnston's shot went through traffic and got behind Fortin to tie the score at 2-2.

Less than two minutes later, Fortier gave the Cadets a 3-2 edge when she picked up the puck and skated in along the right side. The all-conference forward then made a nifty move on Sullivan before snapping a shot past the Elmira goaltender high to the stick side. The goal, which was scored at the 13:30 mark, was Fortier's team-leading 23rd of the season.

Norwich was able to contain Elmira for the final six minutes and the Cadets held on for the victory. The win propels NU into its first-ever national championship game appearance.

For the game, Norwich outshot Elmira 35-34. There were only two penalties whistled in the contest with the Cadets going 0-for-1 on the power play and the Soaring Eagles going 1-for-1 with the man-advantage.