COSTA MESA, CALIF -- Junior All-American sweeper Jennifer Babel scored her first career hat trick to lead the NAIA's No. 2-ranked Azusa Pacific (18-0, 7-0) to a 3-0 victory at Southern California College tonight.
Babel's goals, her 7th, 8th, and 9th of the season, were all the more meaningful, as they came on her 21st birthday.
The Cougars, playing their final regular season contest, set a mark as the first GSAC school ever to assemble a perfect season. Outscoring their opponents 94-7 on a shot advantage of 409-106, the Cougars were a model of team play, with 4 players each amassing more than 30 points.
Babel opened the Cougar scoring with a penalty kick in the 28th minute off Vanguard goalkeeper Jessica Lubman, and added two second-half goals off assists from Celeste Mitchell and Lisa Lawrence.
Azusa Pacific keeper Rachel Yanos added to her school record with her 12th shutout of the season and 6th straight. Her .39 goals against average leads the conference, as does the 7 goals allowed this season.
Already having wrapped up the program's first-ever GSAC championship, the Cougars open postseason play with a first-round GSAC playoff match against Cal Baptist on Wednesday, November 4, at 7 p.m. in Azusa.
Scoring by Periods
So. Cal College 0 0 -- 0
Azusa Pacific 1 2 -- 3
GOALS: Babel 3 (APU)
ASSISTS: Mitchell, Lawrence (APU)
SAVES: Yanos (APU) 5, Lubman (SCC) 17
SHOTS: APU 26, SCC 6
FOULS: APU 18, SCC 21
CORNER KICKS: APU 4, SCC 5
