Payne, who scored a school-record 22 goals and 50 points as a freshman last year, hadn't scored this year since Sept. 4 against Cal Poly Pomona. She then missed the next 5 games and briefly returned last week against USIU in a reserve role. Against the Tritons tonight, she tallied the game's first goal on an 8-foot dribbler that went between the legs of a Triton defender and slowly into the net.

"The ball bounced off my head, off a UCSD player and then was just sitting there," said Payne. "I nearly whiffed on it, barely hitting it with my toe."

The Tritons mananged an equalizer 5 minutes into the second half when reserve Jessica Cordova rifled an 18-footer past Cougar goalie Rachel Yanos. Fourteen minutes later UCSD coach Brian McManus switched goalies and put Laura Dolkas into the game. Less than 2 minutes into Dolkas' service, Payne greeted her with the game winner off a ricochet from Missy Myers.

"It was important to win this game," said Cougar head coach Christian Johnson. "It sends a message to SCC, which tied UCSD, and Westmont, which beat UCSD, that we're still here after some not-so-good outings. However, I feel like we escaped tonight. Neither team played it's best game, and I think we're fortunate to have won."

The Cougars, who at 8-0, are off to the best start in program history, and match the program record for the longest winning streak. The 1992 Cougars also won 8 straight. Also, this is the Cougars' first win over UCSD in 9 meetings with the Tritons. In fact, Azusa Pacific had never scored against UCSD until tonight's game.

"To be the first Cougar team to beat UCSD is a huge boost of confidence to this team," added Johnson.

UC San Diego               0   1  -- 0
Azusa Pacific                1   1  -- 2

GOALS:  Payne (APU) 2, Cordova (UCSD)
ASSISTS:  Messick (APU), Myers (APU), Hurley (UCSD)
SHOTS:  APU 9,  UCSD 7
FOULS:  APU 14,  UCSD  7
CORNER KICKS:  UCSD 8, Azusa Pacific