Pensacola, Fla. --- It was a memorable senior day for the University of West Florida women's soccer team as Blair Cowan sank two goals, Kileigh Whited recorded an assist and Destiny Hird helped the defense earn another shutout. In a 2-0 win over the Mississippi College Choctaws, the Argos grabbed the regular season conference title and enter the GSC Tournament as the one seed.
 
No. 12 UWF (14-2-1 overall, 12-2 GSC) and No. 20 (13-3-1 overall, 10-2-1 GSC) battled it out in a top-2 conference showdown but the Argos took the lead late in the first half and increased it to a total of three goals as the 90 minutes began to dwindle down.
 
"The players understand what we're looking for and now know what it takes to be competitive in the toughest league and the toughest region," head coach Joe Bartlinksi said. "It was exciting to have senior day against a great opponent and to have a solid match – I am proud but our work is not done."
 
A physical match that involved 27 fouls between the two teams allowed the Argos to get on the board first. The Choctaws committed a foul 30-yards out directly in front of the net for Cowan to turn a free kick into a goal.
 
Entering the second half with a 1-0 lead, the Argos found themselves in another scoring position after a Choctaw foul. The free kick would occur along the sideline in the attacking half that Whited, the second leading assister on the team, would take. Kicking a perfectly placed ball in the box to the head of Julia Comin gave the Argos a two-goal lead on a tough Mississippi College team and give the forward her third goal on the season.
 
The third and final goal began from a throw in that took the Choctaws off guard. Comin passed it off to Cowan just off the sideline who turned a tough shooting placement into one of her best goals of the season. With 18 goals on the season, Cowan became the GSC's leading scorer and tied for the nation's second most goals in Division II.
 
The defensive line and goalkeeper Maciah Lipsey completed their 13^th shutout of the season to remain the GSC's least scored on team. Lipsey recorded three saves to uplift the team in a win. The team has only allowed four goals against on the season to lead the nation – tied with two other teams – in least goals allowed.
 
Cowan led the team with five shots followed by Manami Okada with three and Comin hitting two to contribute to outshooting the Choctaws 15-9.
 
"It was a very special day and the support was great," said Cowan. "My teammates put me in good positions and continue to be given great balls to finish." "We're surrounded by good players and it's a good team effort," Whited added.
 
Up next, the Argos head into the GSC Tournament as the one-seed and will host West Georgia Saturday, October 30^th, time TBD, at the UWF Soccer Complex.