FOUNTAIN SPRINGS – It was pressure-packed, exhilarating, and heart-breaking all rolled into one.

Overtime soccer isn’t meant for the faint of heart - especially when it comes down to penalty kicks.

PKs can turn the ultimate team game into a series of one-on-one, do-or-die showdowns - the shooter against the goalie.

That’s exactly what Wednesday night’s PIAA Class 2A State Semifinal boys soccer game between Northwestern Lehigh and Lewisburg at North Schuylkill’s Gosh Orthodontics Field boiled down to.

After the two teams battled to a 1-1 tie over 80 regulation minutes - and then played a pair of scoreless 15-minute overtime periods - all eyes became focused on Northwestern’s superb keeper Damian Krapf and his counterpart from Lewisburg, Henry Harrison.

It’s a nerve-racking situation for the goalies and the shooters. One wrong move, one bad angle, one missed hit and the season could come to an to an end.

When Noah Prawling - Lewisburg’s fifth shooter in the five-man PK format - sailed a shot over the crossbar, the Tigers were just one kick away from the state final.

After Joshua Zellner, Jack Mauro, Cayden Fitch and Matthew Johnson had previously converted, Jacob Van Lierop would put the cherry on top with his clean boot to beat Harrison.

Van Lierop’s goal gave Northwestern a 2-1 victory (5-4 in penalty kicks) and a spot in Saturday’s State Championship game against Lancaster Catholic.

Veni, Vidi, Vici!

Indeed, Northwestern’s superb soccer team came, saw and conquered - in incredibly dramatic fashion to boot.

The win lifts Northwestern’s record to 25-1 on the season, while the Green Dragons end their excellent season at 20-2-1.

“This is what we’ve been working for all season,” Krapf said with a huge smile.

“I knew that we could do this,” Zellner stated.

“We worked extremely hard, and it has paid off,” is how Mauro explained the end result.

“We are going to the finals, and now we want to win it all,” Fitch said. “That’s been our ultimate goal.”

“This feels so fantastic, I knew we are capable of getting this win - and we need just one more,” Johnson said.

It was a back-and-forth battle throughout the contest. The lone Green Dragon goal was scored 11 minutes and 32 seconds into the first half. That’s when Darrien Svillkos managed to kick his shot just past a diving Krapf.

“I got my hand on it, but it just kind of got away,” said the senior Tigers’ keeper.

Krapf was nothing short of stellar in net after that, however. He had 10 saves - six of which came during regulation, including an acrobatic swat of what looked like a sure goal off the foot of Alfred Romano.

“I just managed to find it,” Krapf explained about the game’s biggest save. “I saw it coming, then lost it for a second and reached back to deflect it.”

It was a moment in time that lingered like slow motion. Krapf on an island unto himself with what was the game-saver late in the second half with the score tied at 1-1.

“He is so athletic, and it was such a great play by him,” said Northwestern coach Nate Hunsicker about Krapf’s save on Romano. “He showed a lot of resolve.”

It was a donnybrook throughout, and when the second half was starting to dwindle under 30 minutes to play, the Tigers needed to find a way to crack Harrison’s goalkeeping.

They finally broke through, and it came off a free kick as Zellner delivered in the clutch with 26:40 left in regulation to tie the score at 1-1.

“I’m so proud of these guys,” Hunsicker said. “An awesome game. Both sides had opportunities.

“It’s unfortunate that somebody had to be the loser in this game. Both sides deserved to win. But that’s sports.”

Indeed it is, and to the victors belong the spoils - and Wednesday night that was Northwestern. Because it was, this band of Tigers need but one more win, to give the school a state gold medal.

UP NEXT ... Northwestern will face District 3 runner-up Lancaster Catholic Saturday at 1 p.m. at Eagle View Middle School in Mechanicsburg with the state title on the line.

HOW IT ADDS UP

... Even though Northwestern Lehigh had scored all five on the penalty kicks, the official final score of the game stands at 2-1.

QUOTEABLE

... “That’s Damian. You’ve got to have (a) short memory.” Hunsicker about his goalkeeper, who shrugged off the early Lewisburg score.

COUNTING ‘EM UP

... The Tigers had 12 shots on goal, four corners and seven fouls. Lewisburg had 13 shots, seven corners and 13 fouls. Harrison had 11 saves in the game.