South Dakota State had no trouble finding the goal on Sunday, but could not hold the lead late, tying Northern Iowa, 2-2…

Junior Courtney Higgins started the scoring on passes from seniors Kelsey Ferguson and Kayla Braffet. The goal, Higgins' first of the season, made the score 1-0 at the 20:08 mark in the first period.

The Jackrabbits led 1-0 at halftime.

In the first period, UNI outshot SDSU 6-5, including a 5-2 shots on goal advantage. Neither team took a corner kick.

Senior Kat Donovan made five saves in the first period, the most saves in a single period this season for the SDSU goalkeeper.

Early in the second half, Braffet added another goal for the Jacks. The ball bounced around in the UNI box before Braffet put the ball in the back of the net, making the score 2-0 in the 55^th minute.

The goal by Braffet is her third this season and gives her 17 career goals and ties for seventh-place on the all-time goal-scoring leaders. The assist to Higgins is her second of the season and gives her 15 career assists and moves her to within one of second-place on the all-time assist-scoring leaderboard. The combination of the two move Braffet into fifth-place for career scoring with 49 points.

Northern Iowa climbed a step closer 10 minutes later, making the score 2-1.

It looked as though the Panthers were going to fall short, but in the 81^st minute, SDSU scored an own goal to equalize the score and extend the game.

The Jackrabbits outshot UNI in the second period 15-5, but had only one shot on goal to UNI’s two. Each team took three corner kicks.

In the first overtime period, the action was limited, as neither team recorded a shot on goal. SDSU outshot UNI 1-0 and took two corner kicks, but could not find the go-ahead goal.

The second overtime period was a bit more eventful, as Northern Iowa tested Donovan by placing two shots on goal. Donovan made both saves for the Jacks, who did not take a shot.

The game ended in a 2-2 tie.

"I give a lot of credit to UNI for getting back into the game," SDSU head coach Lang Wedemeyer said. "But it's the same old story for us...plenty of chances to score buckets of goals, but for various reasons, it just isn't happening."

Overall, SDSU outshot the Panthers 21-14, but UNI held the shots on goal advantage at 10-7. The Jacks took five corner kicks to UNI’s three.

The tie is the first of the season the Jackrabbits.

South Dakota State is now 4-5-1 on the season.

Northern Iowa is 3-5-2.

The Jackrabbits take the next week off from competition before returning home to open conference play. SDSU hosts Oral Roberts on Friday, Sept. 30, and Southern Utah on Sunday, Oct. 2. Game times are set for 6 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively, at Fishback Soccer Park.