Edina in position for a repeat after holding on against Eden Prairie

Edina's shots weren't fooling exceptional Eden Prairie goalie Alexa Dobchuk. But the Hornets found good fortune with deflected pucks that even Dobchuk was powerless to stop.

Defending state champion Edina defeated Eden Prairie 4-2 in Friday's semifinal. The No. 1 seed Hornets advance to face No. 2 seed Centennial in the championship game Saturday night.

Edina outshot Eden Prairie 47-15, but Dobchuk kept her team close. "I was definitely expecting a high number of shots," said Dobchuk, a finalist for Senior Goalie of the Year. "To be honest, that is the best type of game for me."

Eagles coach Jaime Grossman said of Dobchuk, "We've seen that from her in every practice and every game for five years."

Friday's game marked the teams' third consecutive state tournament semifinal meeting. A first period tip-in by Olivia Swaim and a third-period shot by Brooke Tucker that hit an Eden Prairie defender gave Edina (27-2-1) its first two goals and 2-1 lead early in the third period.

Edina's Aliyah Lance slipped a backhand shot under Dobchuk for a 3-1 lead midway through the third period. No. 5 seed Eden Prairie (19-10-1) cut its deficit to 3-2 only 10 seconds later on a rebound goal from Ava Wagner.

However, Edina owned the game's waning moments, clinching it with an empty-netter.