Columbia, Mo. – Yesterday the NAIA announced its sixth 2016 Women's Soccer Coaches' Top 25 Poll. The Cougars were able to move up three spots in the rankings to 13^th in the country after defeating Harris-Stowe State (Mo.) University and Stephens (Mo.) College last week by a combined score of 17-0. Columbia College has been playing great soccer all season with their only loss coming to Park (Mo.) University in September. The Cougars have outscored their opponents 69-5 this season and rank at the top of the NAIA in total assists and shots per game while ranking second in total shutouts and goals scored per game.

The team was in action tonight against Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.) University on a special night for the seniors. This was the last home game of the regular season for the Cougars and served as senior night for the team. The seniors were honored before the game for their hard work and dedication to the program during their time at Columbia College. The Cougars were able to defeat the Trojans by a score of 5-0 and improved to 14-1-2 on the season and 10-1 in conference play.

The Cougars got off to a quick start in the match creating several chances including a shot off of the post in the first 10 minutes of the game. Christina Conley put Columbia College on the board eleven minutes into the game when Taylor Hagenhoff played a long ball across the field to Yuko Shinomiya who floated a long pass to Conley at the top of the box. Conley calmly settled the ball onto her right foot and blasted a long shot into the top left corner of the net for her fifth goal of the season. Laurie Frew tallied her team leading 13^th goal of the season in the 19^th minute of the game after the Cougars were able to work the ball deep into the Trojans half before finally earning a throw in. Lucy Kingsley, with her signature flip throw, threw a long pass into the box finding the head of Kelsey Mirts who flicked the ball onto the foot of Frew to put the Cougars ahead 2-0 heading into the halftime break. Columbia College outshot the Trojans 19-1 in the half and had nine shots on goal.

In the second half of the game, the Cougars applied a lot of pressure to the Trojans back line. They created scoring chance after scoring chance throughout the entire half but were unable to find the back of the net until there were just under five minutes left in the contest. Yuko Shinomiya picked up her second assist of the game when she beat several Trojan defenders on a run down the sideline and slotted the ball into Laurie Frew who knocked it past the keeper for her second goal of the game. Katelyn Palmer added another late goal for the Cougars just one minute later when she blasted a low line driving shot from the top of the box into the lower left corner of the net for her fifth goal of the season. Columbia College picked up one more goal with just a few seconds left to play when Christina Conley finished off a rebound from a Lucy Kingsley shot for her second goal of the game. The Cougars outshot the Trojans 40-1 in the game and had 18 shots on goal.

Flavia Rosado and Madison Boyken split time in goal for Columbia College combining for the teams 14^th shutout of the season.

The Cougars are back in action for their final regular season game on Saturday, October 29^th when they travel to Batesville, Arkansas, to take on Lyon (Ark.) College. The match is set to begin at 12:30 p.m.