AZUSA, CALIF. -- The NAIA' No. 3-ranked Westmont ended a year's worth of frustration and staked a legitmate claim to be the best team in the nation after handing No. 1-ranked and previously undefeated Azusa Pacific a 3-1 loss on the Cougars' home field Wednesday night.
The Warrior defense was outstanding in holding Azusa Pacific's All-American forward tandem of Kendra Payne and Missy Myers to just a combined 3 shots while the Warrior offense applied enough pressure to take advantage of a shakey Cougar defense to tally the most goals against Azusa Pacific in a GSAC contest since 1996.All-American Katie Gardinier, the GSAC's all-time scorer assisted on the first goal and scored the second, which was all Westmont needed to snap Azusa Pacific's 37-game (34-0-3) unbeaten streak. Gardinier made an outstanding cross pass to Stephanie Herival less than 3 minutes into the game. Just 5 yards out, Herival rifled a shot point blank at Cougar goal keeper Rachel Yanos, who deflected the ball straight up but was unable to gain control as the ball fell just inside the line to the far right of Yanos.
Gardinier then scored her own goal in the 29th minute with a great blast from 20 yards out that zipped into the upper right of the goal.
Down 2-0 at the half, Azusa Pacific began a second half rally that was highlighted when Myers headed a lead pass to a streaking Celeste Mitchell, who lifted a shot past Westmont keeper Kristen St. Clair to make it a 2-1 game at the 55th minute.
However, Azusa Pacific gave that goal right back when Herivel's throw-in from the deep sideline was headed back by a Cougar and then bounced across the goal line from a scrambling Yanos for the final score of the game.
Azusa Pacific made a run at the end with 4 shots in the final 6 minutes, however, Westmont's Sarah Chisholm, who shadowed Payne all night, refused to give the Cougars any good opportunities to get back into the game.
The loss is Azusa Pacific's first setback since suffering an identical 3-1 defeat to Westmont in the finals of the NAIA Far West Regional, Nov, 15, 1997, in Santa Barbara. Additionally, the loss also snaps Azusa Pacific' 17-game unbeaten streak at home. Azusa Pacific hadn't lost in the Canyon City since a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Westmont on Oct. 22, 1997.
With the win, Westmont has now won 12 straight since suffering a season-opening 2-0 loss to NCAA Division II defending champion Sonoma State and improves to 12-1 on the season, 4-0 in the GSAC. The Warriors have a firm grip on recapturing the GSAC crown which it surrendered to Azusa Pacific in a 2-1 loss in Santa Barbara last year. The Warriors have their eyes on a sixth GSAC chammpionship in the past 7 years. Meanwhile, Azusa Pacific falls to 10-1-2 overall, 2-1 in the GSAC.
