NEW CONCORD, Ohio -- Kylee Kolesar (Mentor/Mentor) recorded a hat trick, helping the Mount Union women's soccer team keep itself in Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament contention with a 5-2 victory over Muskingum on Wednesday.

Kolesar scored her goals during the seventh, 63rd and 81st minutes. Her first goal was assisted by Deirdre Dick (Mansfield/Crestview). Shortly after, Jackie Lowdermilk (Wadsworth/Wadsworth) notched a goal, getting an assist from Katie Etling (Mantua/Garfield), to put the Purple Raiders ahead, 2-0.

The Fighting Muskies battled back with the next two goals -- one by Noelle Kleppel in the 49th minute and the second by Kaitlyn Matz in the 61st -- before Mount Union put in three unanswered scored.

Kolesar put the Raiders up in the 63rd minute before Etling scored in the 74th with an assist from Dick.

Kolesar added her final goal in the 81st minute with Dick's third assist.

Taryn Vespoint (Ravenna/Ravenna) started in net for Mount Union, making two saves, before Aubree Lieberman (Cleveland Heights/Cleveland Heights) finished the contest in relief. Lieberman did not make a save, but was credited with the win.

For Muskingum (2-16-0, 1-7-0), Sara Poling made three stops.

The Purple Raiders are currently tied for the sixth and final OAC Tournament spot with Heidelberg, but the Student Prince holds a head-to-head tiebreaker.

Mount Union (4-10-4, 2-5-1) will wrap up its regular season with Saturday's 1 p.m. home match against fourth-ranked Otterbein (15-0-1, 8-0-0).  The Purple Raiders need to win or tie and then benefit from other results within the conference.

If the Raiders win, they will need Heidelberg to tie or lose against Wilmington (Saturday, 5 p.m.). Mount Union could also qualify for OACs with a tie, a Heidelberg loss and a Baldwin-Wallace tie or loss against Muskingum (Saturday, 4:30 p.m.).

 Goals by period       1  2  Tot
 -------------------------------
 Mount Union.........  2  3 -  5
 Muskingum University  0  2 -  2
 
 SCORING SUMMARY:
  1.   6:49 MTU Kylee Kolesar (Deirdre Dick)
  2.   8:45 MTU Jackie Lowdermilk (Katie Etling)
  3.  48:09 MUSK Noelle Kleppel (unassisted)
  4.  60:24 MUSK Kaitlyn Matz (Noelle Kleppel)
  5.  62:56 MTU Kylee Kolesar (unassisted)
  6.  73:54 MTU Katie Etling (unassisted)
  7.  80:52 MTU Kylee Kolesar (Deirdre Dick)

 Shots: Mount Union 29, Muskingum University 10
 Saves: Mount Union 2 (Taryn Vespoint 2), Muskingum University 3 (Sara
 Poling 3)