CLAREMONT, CALIF. — For the second straight game, Azusa Pacific relied on its defense to help win a ball game, and the defense did not let the Cougars down as the team earned a 59-48 victory over Pomona-Pitzer in a nonconference matchup Friday night in Claremont.

Again, the Cougars held their foe to under 30% shooting from the floor, limiting the Sagehens to just 26.9% (18-of-67) tonight from the floor, while Azusa Pacific shot 46.4% (26-for-56).

For the Cougars, junior Kelly Speas topped the team is scoring, tallying 18 points, including 11 in the first half. Senior Pilar Surch chipped in 11 points, while junior Allison Carr added 10 inside for the Cougars. Jessica Herman had a career-high 12 rebounds for Azusa Pacific.

The Cougars seemingly had the game in hand with 14 minutes to play as they had a 17-point lead, out-scoring the Sagehens 12-6 in the first minutes of the second half. However Pomona-Pitzer, outscored to Cougars 24-15 over the next 13 minutes to shave Azusa Pacific's lead to five with a minute left in the game. Amy Lemm doused any Sangehen hopes with the three-point basket with 10 seconds left to give the Cougars their 11 point margin of victory.

The Cougars held Pomona-Pitzer to just 18 first half points and no free throws. The Sagehens held a one-point lead, 11-10, with 12 minutes left in the first half, but Azusa Pacific scored 19 of the half's final 28 points to assume an 11-point advantage at halftime.

Freshman Megan Gould, who had 15 points, led Pomona-Pitzer. Forward Maya Jones added 10.


With the victory, Azusa Pacific improved to 7-1 (its best start in five years), while Pomona-Pitzer falls to 2-3.

The Cougars travel to Christian Heritage on Saturday for a 7 p.m. contest.