Estep (left), a freshman forward from Mansfield, Ohio, registered her second hat trick of the season as she scored three goals in a 15-minute span in the second half of the Lady Cougars’ 4-0 upset of Ohio Dominican University, who was ranked 10th in the NAIA at the time and had allowed just five goals all season in 14 previous matches. This was the third time in the past six weeks that the former Madison High School standout received the AMC and NAIA Region IX honors.

On the season, Estep leads MVNU with 19 goals in 16 matches. She also has three assists for a team-leading 41 points. In six conference matches, Estep finished with 14 goals.

Loewen (below right), a freshman goalkeeper from Gravenhurst, Ontario, stopped five shots in the victory over Ohio Dominican as she posted her fourth shutout of the season. The former Gravenhurst High School product has played in all 17 matches this season with a 10-3-0 record in goal and a 1.33 goals against average.

The Lady Cougars are currently 12-4-1 overall and received a vote in the latest NAIA national poll. MVNU also captured a share of the AMC South Division title for the second straight year and the fourth time in the past five seasons with a 5-1-0 record as the team won its final five conference matches after dropping its very first conference contest.

The Lady Cougars will return to action on Friday, November 2, when MVNU will host the NAIA Region IX Final Four. The Lady Cougars will be the top seed in the tournament and will be joined by AMC North Division champion Houghton (N.Y.) College. The other two teams will be determined by AMC qualifier matches featuring Urbana University at Ohio Dominican University and Roberts Wesleyan (N.Y.) College at Notre Dame College that will take place this Saturday. MVNU will play the lowest seeded team at noon on November 2. The winner of the NAIA Region IX Tournament will get an automatic berth into the NAIA National Tournament in Daytona Beach, Florida, from November 14-20.