Estep (left), who had yet to score in the previous five matches as the Lady Cougars (2-4-0) were shut out four times, wasted little time in getting her team on the scoreboard and herself in the scoring column when she gathered a loose ball in the box and found the back of the net in the 20th minute as MVNU took an early 1-0 lead.

She tacked on her second goal in the 39th minute when senior forward Page Miller played her the ball and she beat the defense and slotted a shot home to extend the lead to 2-0.

The score remained that way until six minutes into the second half when the visiting Eagles (1-4-0) trimmed the lead to 2-1 when Christina Thornton headed in a cross from Lynsey McFarland to pull Judson back into the match.

Then, with 4:10 remaining in regulation, the Eagles knotted the score at 2-2 when Ashley Williams ripped a shot from outside the left side of the box and into the back of the net.

That goal forced the first of a possible two 10-minute overtime periods. In the first overtime, MVNU took five shots including three at the very end of the period with one glancing off the crossbar and one going off the post before the period ended.

Then, the Lady Cougars carried over that momentum over into the second 10-minute overtime period. Freshman midfielder Amanda Woods won a 50-50 ball and played it ahead to sophomore midfielder Jamie Blair. Blair found senior midfielder Erin Miller in the box and Miller one-timed it to Estep who knocked it home for the game-winning golden goal in the 103rd minute.

For Estep, who scored 22 goals as a freshman last year, the hat trick was the third of her young career and also increased her career goals total to 25 which ranks fifth in school history already.

MVNU held a 22-15 advantage in total shots and a 9-6 edge in shots on goal, while Judson led 4-3 in corner kicks. Sophomore goalkeeper Jenessa Loewen stopped four shots for the Lady Cougars, while Mackenzie Fowler posted six saves for the Eagles.

“I was really pleased with the way that we came out and played in the first half,” said MVNU coach Jonathan Meade. “It was great to get an early goal and it was especially good to have Jessica score it. Then, she added the second goal and we felt pretty good about what we did in the half.”

“We gave up two goals in the second half and we still showed that there are plenty of things to work on,” said Meade. “However, I was pleased with the way that we continued to battle in overtime and we were able to come away with the victory.”

The Lady Cougars will return to action on Thursday when the team will host Cedarville University in an American Mideast Conference match that will begin at 5:00 p.m.

In Saturday's other match, Spring Arbor (Mich.) University defeated Notre Dame College 1-0 in overtime on Taylor George's goal in the 96th minute.  (BOXSCORE)