The Cougars (14-6-2) got on the scoreboard in the 33rd minute when senior defender Brady Swanson headed in a corner kick by senior midfielder Scott Spangler to put MVNU on top 1-0. The goal was Swanson’s fourth of the season, while Spangler notched his team-leading 11th assist and the 26th of his career as he moved into a tie for seventh place on the program’s all-time list.

The score remained that way through halftime, but then the Cougars tacked on another goal just 1:31 into the second period when junior defender Kemar Jackson scored off an assist from freshman midfielder Brian Petak (left) to extend the lead to 2-0. The goal was Jackson’s fourth of the year, while Petak registered his second assist.

The Warriors (10-12-1), who were coming off three straight 1-0 wins to capture the Central Athletic Collegiate Conference Tournament title, cut the deficit in half in the 68th minute when Daniel Ocampo converted a penalty kick opportunity - the first successful attempt against the Cougars this year in regular match play.

As Nyack continued to push to equalize, MVNU kept looking for precisely the right time to counter attack to put the match away. Finally, in the 83rd minute, Petak gave the Cougars the breathing room they needed with a goal off an assist from junior midfielder Chris Mast to close out the scoring in the 3-1 victory. The goal was Petak’s third of the year with Mast tallying his third assist.

MVNU finished with an 18-8 advantage in total shots, a 10-3 margin in shots on goal, and a 5-2 edge in corner kicks. Senior goalie Alex Stout stopped two shots for the Cougars, while Adrian Ibanez posted seven saves for the Warriors.

"We really played pretty well today,” said MVNU coach Paul Furey. "We moved the ball very nicely and our midfield really controlled the match and kept things simple. We really minimized their opportunities and their one good chance came because of the penalty kick that I am still baffled as to how it occurred.”

"Brian had a good match scoring a goal and setting up Kemar with another goal,” Furey added. "Brady had a big goal with our first one to get things rolling. Overall, we did a very nice job from front to back. Now, we just need to prepare for the big match tomorrow.”

MVNU will now advance to the NCCAA East Region Tournament championship match on Saturday at noon to face a familiar foe in Roberts Wesleyan (N.Y.) College, who defeated host Geneva 4-2 in Friday’s other semifinal match. The Cougars and the Raiders will be meeting for the third time this season and the second time in eight days. MVNU won the regular-season meeting between the squads 2-1 on October 10 at Cougar Field and then prevailed 4-1 in penalty kicks after a scoreless double overtime draw last Friday at Roberts Wesleyan. The winner of Saturday’s match will receive an automatic berth into the NCCAA National Tournament in Kissimmee, Florida on December 2-5.