NORTHFIELD —The Austin boys soccer team spent most of the night striking first and that trend carried the No. 3 seeded Packers to a 3-2 shootout win over No. 2 seeded Northfield in their Section 1A semifinal game Monday night.

After the Raiders scored two game-tying goals in regulation, the Packers only needed four of the possible five shots to win the shootout and keep their season alive. Matias Parada and Ochan Ochogi connected on back-to-back goals in the shootout and after a save by keeper Chris Kirchgatter, Austin senior defenseman Ryan Kempen delivered the game-winning kick.

“It was a lot of pressure. I stuck to my guns on where I wanted to put it,” Kempen said. “I always try to put it on that one spot. When they missed two [shots], it gives you a lot of momentum and it gives you a good feeling.”

The Raiders (9-8-2 overall) missed on their first two shootout attempts, but after Northfield’s Fin Muirr connected on a goal, the pressure was on Kirchgatter, who responded with a diving save on Northfield’s fourth shot.

Kirchgatter felt the nerves in the shootout, but he didn’t let them get to him.

“You’re excited because you’re in the spotlight which as a goalie you’re usually not and then as a goalie you can actually be the hero,” said Kirchgatter, who had nine saves in regulation and overtime. “There’s a little bit of nervousness every time you step in there, but you’ve just got to use it to your advantage.”

Austin (10-5-4 overall) took a 1-0 lead in the first half when Corbin Munger scored in the 10th minute of the game, but the Raiders responded when Jack Fox put in a header for a goal off a corner kick 10 minutes into the second half. Austin took a 2-1 lead when Ochan Ochogi got loose and scored with 22:05 left in regulation. Northfield then tied things up when Isaac Stadler scored a breakaway goal.

Both teams had chances in overtime and Austin head coach Jens Levisen said, even though his team won, he would’ve rather seen the game decided with both teams playing their full lineups.

“Regardless of my players or the opposing players, I hate PKs,” Levisen said. “I would rather go overtime after overtime until somebody finally puts it in. At the same time, you get to that instance and you’ve got to decide who to put on the field. The guys all stepped up and said ‘coach I’ve got this one.’ They all had that confidence.”

The Packers will now seek their first trip to the Minnesota Class A Boys Soccer Tournament since 2009 when they play top-seeded Rochester Lourdes (15-2-2 overall) in the Section 1A title game at 5 p.m. at RCTC Thursday.

Austin and Lourdes will be playing in the section title game for the fourth time in five years. The Eagles beat Austin 4-3 on Sept. 26.

“When we play our game, we can beat anybody,” Kempen said.