The two teams played to a scoreless draw through the first 45 minutes of the match. MVNU (13-5-1), which was ranked 25th in the final NAIA poll, had several good scoring opportunities in the first half as the Lady Cougars posted a 10-4 advantage in total shots and a 3-2 edge in shots on goal.

Then, just over two minutes into the second half, Houghton got on the scoreboard when junior forward Hannah Swift, the American Mideast Conference North Division Player of the Year, scored to put the Highlanders (12-2-3) in front 1-0. Senior defender Rebecca Smith played a bouncing ball into the box that bounced over the head of MVNU freshman goalkeeper Jenessa Loewen to Swift, who maneuvered around Loewen and tapped the ball into the net.

The score remained that way until the 62nd minute when freshman forward Amy-Kaye Mitchell headed in a goal off a corner kick by junior midfielder Mandy Lewandowski that was not cleared to increase Houghton’s lead to 2-0.

MVNU continued to push forward and tried to mount an offensive threat to get back into the match. However, the Highlanders withstood the charge and posted the shutout to capture the NAIA Region IX title and advance to the NAIA national tournament for the eighth time since 1998. The national tournament will be held in Daytona Beach, Florida, on November 14-20.

Loewen finished with three saves for the Lady Cougars, while Houghton goalie Lauren Foster stopped five shots as MVNU was shut out for only the second time all year. The Lady Cougars out-shot the Highlanders 14-9 with shots on goal tied at 5-5. Meanwhile, Houghton led 3-1 in corner kicks.

The Lady Cougars will find out by Monday whether or not they will play in the National Christian College Athletic Association East Region Tournament. If MVNU does play, the team will host either Nyack (N.Y.) College or Roberts Wesleyan (N.Y.) College on Wednesday afternoon at Cougar Field. Details will be posted on the Lady Cougars’ website as soon as they become available.