SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. -- The NAIA's No. 2-ranked Westmont prevailed once again over Azusa Pacific, knocking off the third-ranked Cougars, 4-2, in the championship game of the NAIA regional playoffs.

With the victory, Westmont, which improves to 17-2 on the season, advances to Saturday's (Nov. 13) NAIA sectional playoff in the Pacific Northwest. Meanwhile, Azusa Pacific, which is 15-2-2 on the season, must now wait word for a possible at-large berth into the NAIA Championship Tournament to be played in Miami, Fla., Nov. 18-23.

Westmont, which seemingly all season has been on a mission to get what Azusa Pacific got last year (a national title), wasted little time in its disposal of the Cougars today. The Warriors scored in the first minute of the game on a Adrienne Allen deflection of a Romana Triliegi shot. Nine minutes later, the Warriors doubled their lead and pressed the Cougars against the ropes when Triliegi lined a shot into the upper "V"e;.

Azusa Pacific junior Kendra Payne, the 1999 GSAC Player of the Year, got the Cougars off the gurney with a goal in the 16th minute on a breakaway down the middle of the field. From that point forward, the 2 defenses settled down and score remained 2-1 Westmont at the half.

However, like the start of the game, Westmont roared out to begin the final 45 minutes, scoring on a Sarah Chisholm goal just 8 minutes into the frame. The Warriors blew the game open with another Chisholm goal in the 63rd minute. A penalty kick goal by All-American Jennifer Babel in the 71st was too little, too late for the Cougars.

The loss is only the Cougars' second in their past 44 games. However, both setbacks have come at the hands Westmont, which knocked off Azusa Pacific, 3-1, back on Oct. 13 in Azusa.