FAYETTE, Iowa - The newly ranked No. 25 Ashford University (16-0-2, 6-0-2 MCC) men's soccer team completed an undefeated regular season on Wednesday, shutting out Upper Iowa University (6-12-1), 1-0.

The Saints will now head into the Midwest Collegiate Conference tournament as the top seed and will face the winner of eighth-seeded St. Ambrose University and ninth-seeded Waldorf College. The play-in game is tomorrow and AU will face the winner on Sunday at 2 p.m. on the campus of Augustana College.

Ashford defeated Clarke College, 1-0 in overtime, for the regular-season league title and moved into the NAIA Top-25 Coaches Poll for the first time since 1996 (then-Mount St. Clare). Upper Iowa had a 3-0 win against Clarke just a week ago.

Junior forward Vedran Ilic of Rockford, Ill., scored the game's lone goal, driving the ball in the net off a rebound. Ilic, who came into today's game ranked seventh in the nation in assists with 11, capitalized in the 78th minute.

Sophomore Nick De Backer of Antwerp, Belgium, was credited with the assist, his sixth of the year.

"I was extremely pleased with our ball control and time of possession today," AU Head Coach Richard Markham said. "Our defense was stellar and again, if we are able to score that one goal, I know we can rely on our defense to preserve the lead."

AU goalkeeper and three-time MCC Defensive Player of the Week Nick Roman of Belvidere, Ill., recorded his ninth shutout of the season. The junior was tested to the tune of two saves, another testament to a strong Saints' team defensive effort.