By Nick Gerhardt
Northfield scored five second-half goals Tuesday en route to a 5-2 victory over Austin at Memorial Field at Northfield High School.
The Raiders (4-7-2, 4-3-1 Big 9) rallied twice from one-goal deficits and matched a season high with five goals in a game. Senior Ashley Brang scored twice while junior Olivia Rasmussen, senior Anni Quaas and senior Amelia Rosenhamer added goals.
Since starting the season 0-6-2, Northfield has won four of its last five games and climbed to sixth place in the Big 9 Conference by pulling a game above .500 in conference contests.
The Packers (1-9, 0-7 Big 9) grabbed a 1-0 lead in the 20th minute when Marie Tolbert knocked in a rebound.
Brang scored one minute into the second half after collecting a pass from Rasmussen and putting a fantastic shot into the back of the net.
Austin pulled ahead 2-1 in the 47th minute when Adah Barron fired a shot from just outside the top of the 18-yard box for a goal.
Rosenhamer drew the Raiders level a minute later after her corner kick found the back of the net and then Northfield poured it on.
Rasmussen got free on a breakaway in the 64th minute for the go-ahead goal. Brang collected a loose ball off a corner kick to notch her second goal of the game from inside the 18-yard box to make it 4-2. In the 78th minute, a Packers’ own goal pushed the lead to 5-2 with Quaas getting credit for the goal.
The win also provided a big Section 1AA victory for the Raiders, who moved to 2-1 against section opponents. Northfield faces Owatonna Thursday at Northfield High School at 7 p.m.