Box Score Tulsa, Okla. (Nov. 4, 2005) ???C On the strength of its all-conference seniors, Oakland University???s women???s soccer team completed a 3-1 defeat of Western Illinois Friday night in the semifinal round of the Mid-Continent Conference Tournament. Kristi Swaving (Albuquerque, N.M.) book-ended the team???s scoring for the second match in a row, while Silje Peltopera (Karasjok, Norway) added the game-winner in the 36th minute. The victory improves OU???s record to 9-7-1 and advances the Golden Grizzles to the championship game to be held on Sunday at 2 p.m. versus the winner of the Valparaiso/Southern Utah match-up. ???We came out very energetic and had some help with the wind at our backs in the first half,??? head coach Nick O???Shea said. ???We did well to get a 2-0 lead at the break. In the second half, they (Western Illinois) put on a little more pressure, but Jess handled the crosses very well and Cat Panabaker (Hamilton, Ontario) and Kristi Smith (Aurora, Ontario) did a good job of getting things done up the middle for us.??? Oakland made three of its four shots on goal in the win count, taking a 2-0 lead at intermission. Just 6:45 into action, all-conference freshman Jessica Boyle (Lake Orion, Mich.) connected with Swaving for Oakland???s first goal of the game. With less than 10 minutes to go in the half, junior all-star Marianne Samdal (Tiller, Norway) gained control of a loose ball and, finding WIU keeper Loes Geurts off her line, passed it through to Peltopera who was open for the goal. The Westerwinds managed just two shots in the opening 45 minutes of play, neither of which was on goal. Western finally got on the board at the 54:31 mark when Ashley Hoch used the wind to her advantage and snuck one past OU goaltender Jessica Howard (West Bloomfield, Mich.) on a free kick from 25 yards out. The Golden Grizzlies answered 19 minutes later, putting a cap on the win with another Swaving goal. This one came from sophomore Kali Karibo (Rochester Hills, Mich.). Thanks to a stingy Oakland backline, Howard didn???t have to make any saves in the match. Geurts had just one grab for the evening. OU led the shots count, 11-8, while earning five corners to Western???s one. Swaving continues to lead the league, now with 14 goals and 31 points. The Golden Grizzlies will find out later tonight whom they will contend with on Sunday for the Mid-Con title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The championship match is set for 2 p.m. (1:00 Central) on the campus of Oral Roberts University.