MVNU (10-3-1, 3-1-0 AMC South) got on the scoreboard first in the 19th minute when sophomore midfielder Erin Miller (left) won the ball from the defense and dribbled in for a score and an early 1-0 lead. The goal was Miller’s fourth of the year.

Five minutes later, the host Lady Bears equalized when Kelley Bowles scored on a 40-yard shot that was fired high in the air and just barely landed inside the crossbar and bounced into the back of the net as Jenessa Loewen, the Lady Cougars’ freshman goalie, tried to retreat and grab it after coming out to kick the ball away.

With just under 10 minutes remaining in the first half, Estep got her big day under way as she took a pass from junior defender Kelly Sgambellone in the box and found the back of the net to give MVNU a 2-1 lead.

Just over three minutes into the second half, Estep struck again as Miller crossed the ball to her and she fired a shot into net for a 3-1 lead.

Estep completed her hat trick 35 seconds later when senior forward Kristy Brandolini slipped a through ball to her. Estep slipped a shot past Sam Rolsen, the Shawnee State goalkeeper, to increase the lead to 4-1.

That would prove to be all the scoring in the match as Loewen and sophomore goalie Whitney Tatko combined with the Lady Cougars’ back line to shutdown the Lady Bears from that point on with Loewen registering two saves.

For Estep (right), who scored her three goals in the span of 25:11 of actual playing time, she increased her team-leading scoring total to 14 goals on the year in 13 matches. She has scored 12 of those goals in the last seven matches with five goals coming in the last two contests alone.

“It was really nice for Jessica to have a hat trick,” said MVNU head coach Jonathan Meade. “She is really having a great freshman year. Our team is doing a good job of having balance so that if the opposition focuses on one player, than someone else is stepping up and carrying the scoring load.”

“Our back line played well today as we rotated several people in and out,” Meade added. “It was nice to see Erin get a goal and an assist, too. When we play together as a team, we are able to do good things.”

The Lady Cougars will return to action on Saturday when the team will travel to Siena Heights (Mich.) University for a non-conference match that will begin at 12:30 p.m.