CONWAY, Ark.—In the biggest game of the year, it was a freshman who shined the brightest.

Olivia Draguicevich scored in the 98^th minute to send NSU to the conference tournament championship for the first time since 2005, 1-0, over rival McNeese at the Bill Stephens Track/Soccer Complex.

Draguicevich scored off a rebound for her team-high sixth goal of the season. A rebound after a shot by fellow freshman Rachel Brandt went to Draguicevich, who put it past McNeese's Emma Roccaforte in the low left corner.

"It feels really good to score the winner," Draguicevich said. "We've worked so hard to get to this moment. We were 0-5 to start the season, and to have the opportunity to win the tournament is really awesome."

NSU (13-7-1) tied 2005 for its second most wins ever. It is the sixth consecutive win for NSU, dating back to a 3-1 win against Houston Baptist. Northwestern State remained unbeaten in overtime, going 4-0-1.

"I'm extremely proud of my players," co-head coach Jess Jobe said. "The players have bought into the game plan, and they believe in what we came here to do and that is win the tournament. We're excited to have an opportunity to do that on Sunday."

The Lady Demons avenged a 2-1 loss to the Cowgirls in September. It also ended a three-game losing streak to their rivals from Lake Charles.

McNeese (11-9) ended its season, losing six of its last eight. Roccaforte played her first game since Oct. 20, after getting hurt in the loss to UIW on Oct. 18.

The Cowgirls attempted the first two shots of the game in the first eight minutes of the game, but both missed the target.

"There were a few nerves to begin the game," Jobe said. "None of our players had been here before. It's a bit of uncharted territory for us. But once we started to believe, you could see how much pressure we were putting them under."

Nicole Henry had the first shot for NSU, following a corner kick, but it went wide right.

Acelya Aydogmus started for the second consecutive game and had one of her best performances of the season. She made two big saves midway through the first half to keep it scoreless. One of those was a free kick by Rachel Palet that Aydogmus saved at the top left corner.

The best chance in the first 45 for the Lady Demons came late in the first half when Norma Trejo shot it but it was deflected and no NSU player was there for the shot attempt. Draguicevich had a shot less than a minute later that went out wide right and it was scoreless after one half.

It was a wild second half, and NSU controlled the first part of the second half. Jalen Donaldson's shot went wide in the first minute of the second half.

McNeese had a golden opportunity in the 59^th minute, but Palet's free kick was stoned by Aydogmus with a diving stop to her left. Then the sophomore goalkeeper dove again to deny Kiana Kukaua.

NSU's best chance of the second half came on the foot of Norma Trejo, who had a good look at the goal from outside of the right corner of the box, and Roccaforte dove to her left to save it.

"We needed to keep it going heading into overtime," Jobe said. "I thought we were getting some really good momentum. Our message all year been 'Find a way.' We're undefeated in overtime games, and so going into overtime, we needed to remind them of that."

In overtime, the Lady Demons didn't want to stay too long. Draguicevich attempted the extra session's first shot with a roller that Roccaforte easily gobbled up. When Draguicevich had another opportunity, she did not waste it.

Trejo sent a cross into Brandt, who fired it on frame, but Roccaforte stopped it, but she was unable to corral the ball. The rebound went to Draguicevich, who sent it into the net for the winner. It was her third overtime winner, also scoring the winner in overtime against UL Lafayette and UIW.

It is her fourth overall game-winning goal, which ties her with four others—Hillarie Marshall (2000), Erin Herbert (2005 and 2007) and Chelsey Gibbs (2009)—for the most in school history for a single season.

Ayodogmus had five saves for the Lady Demons en route to her sixth shutout of the season, including five in conference games and two in the conference tournament. She has only allowed one goal in league play and has a Goals Against Average of a miniscule 0.19.

"It's great to have that many shutouts," Aydogmus said. My teammates and coaches trust me in this spot. I just go out there and do my best. I have a great back line, having all-conference selections, and the Defensive Player of the Year. It's a team effort to get a shutout. It's not just me."

Her six shutouts are fifth all-time in a single season in school history and is one away from tying the top four for the most. She is also alone in seventh with six career shutouts.

The Lady Demons won the shot battle 12-10 and shots on goal 6-5.

NSU will play the winner of No. 5 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and No. 1 Lamar Sunday at 1 p.m.