Box Score Though the season had its ups and downs, Cougar women's soccer peaked at the right time, and that culminated in the squad defeating Ohio Dominican to win its second-consecutive A.I.I. Conference Championship on Saturday.

The game was tied 1-1 at the end of regulation and two overtimes, but the third-seeded Cougars prevailed over top-seed Ohio Dominican when in the ensuing shootout, the latter's fifth shot was stopped by the crossbar.  CSUSM won the shootout 4-3.

With the win, Coach Ron Pulvers' Cougars are now headed to their second straight NAIA National Championship appearance.

"The team was fantastic," said Pulvers.  "They weren't at their best after last night's tough match, but they really battled to get through.  I am super proud of what they've overcome this year."

A scoreless deadlock was broken in the 55th minute, as Lucia Asbury got the Cougars on the board first.  But Ohio Dominican, whose play absolutely lived up to their seeding, got the equalizer in the 75th minute. 

The 1-1 score would persist through regulation and overtime, putting the Cougars in a familiar situation.  Facing Simon Fraser in last year's A.I.I. Championship game, CSUSM earned the Conference Championship by winning a shootout.

This time around, Ohio Dominican would take an early 2-1 lead after their keeper stopped Breanna Brenton's shot.  But Cougar keeper Kaycee Gunion would come right back with a save of her own, and with Kelly Wherry, Lauren Johnson, and Arielle Cohen scoring goals, the shootout would be tied 3-3 heading into the fifth and final round.  Up first, CSUSM senior captain Courtney Drummond tucked her shot away, and when the final Ohio Dominican shooter missed, the championship celebration began for the Cougars.

The NAIA National Championship pairings will be made available this coming week, and CSUSM will learn who and where they are playing in the opening round.