The Spring Arbor University women's soccer team captured the NCCAA Midwest Regional Championship today with a penalty kick shootout win over Indiana Wesleyan University on the road in Marion, Indiana.

The Wildcats capitalized on an SAU defensive breakdown early in the game and hopped out to a 1-0 lead on a Carly Comerouski goal in the 19th minute. Spring Arbor was quick to respond, and evened the match in the 25th minute as Kristin Abbott beat the IWU goalkeeper off a Megan Mains feed for her 9th goal of the year.

IWU clawed back ahead on a Catherine Turner goal early in the second period, but it was Spring Arbor who would control the play over the final 65 minutes of the match. The Cougars evened the match again on an unassisted goal by Katie Sayler and had multiple opportunities to win the game down the stretch, including three headers by Sayler and a right footed opportunity that crashed off the crossbar, also off the foot of the 5'8 sophomore. The tying goal was Sayler's 23rd of the season.

With the outcome not solved through either of the golden goal overtime periods, the match went to penalties.

Sayler buried the first kick for the Cougars and the first IWU kicker did the same to even the shootout at 1-1. Christine Strohmaier also netted her attempt, and the Wildcats hit their shot into the face of the crossbar, leaving SAU with a 2-1 advantage. Freshman Kristin Abbott kissed her attempt off the inside of the left post to put the Cougars up 3-1, and Spring Arbor goalkeeper Christina Riske came up with a huge save on IWU's third kick. Redshirt junior Megan Mains finished the shootout for Spring Arbor, tucking her shot neatly into the right sidenetting for the 4-1 win.

The Cougars outshot the hosts 15-10 on the afternoon and held a 6-2 advantage in corner kicks as well. Spring Arbor will now advance to the NCCAA national championships that will be held in Kissimmee, FL November 14-20th. Seeding for the tournament will be released on Monday.