AZUSA, CALIF. -- Holy Names College sent a message to the GSAC last night with a 3-point victory over 3-time defending GSAC champ Vanguard.Ê Tonight the Hawks put an exclamation point on that statement with a 62-58 nonconference victory over Azusa Pacific, the GSAC's second winningest program over the past 3 years.
 
Mya Paul's 13 points, including 2 off a key jumper with 3:49 left to play, lifted Holy Names to its first-ever victory over Azusa Pacific. Additionally with the win, Holy Names becomes the first-ever California Pacific Conference school to knock off the Cougars.
 
In a game that featured 11 lead changes and 3 ties, Holy Names finally took the lead for good when Monica Ortega buried a pair of free throws to give the Hawks a 45-44 advantage with 9:36 remaining. The Cougars pulled to within a point 3 different times.
 
The final single-point deficit came after Danna Wilder made lay-up with 5:53 to pull the Cougars to within 51-50.Ê The 2 teams went the next 2 minutes without scoring until Paul's jumper in the lane spurred a 6-2 Hawk run that gave Holy Names an insurmountable 57-52 cushion.
 
Azusa Pacific was handicapped throughout the night, playing without All-American guard and leading scorer Jacqueline Godoy, who was sidelined with a sprained ankle suffered in the Tuesday's win over Occidental.
 
Still, the Cougars were in position to win and in fact led by 8 points at 35-27 after going on an 8-2 run early in the second half The Hawks responded with a 12-3 run to re-take the lead at 39-38 with 12:34 left to play.
 
Azusa Pacific was its own worst enemy, missing 9-of-16 free throws. The much larger Cougar frontline was not only out-rebounded by the smaller HNC team, 40-37, but combined to miss 18-of-31 shots, including numerous lay-ups.
 
Junior guard Catherine Solorio led Azusa Pacific with a game-high 17 points on 7-for-13 shooting.