AZUSA, CALIF. -- All season long, Azusa Pacific head coach Matt Elofson has been screaming for his team to play solid defense.
 
Tonight, he got one of the best defensive efforts of the season as the NAIA's No. 22-ranked Cougars defeated The Master's College, 59-51, to maintain their slim lead atop the GSAC standings.
 
With the exception of a brief 5-minute spell late in the second half, the Cougars handcuffed what is normally a very efficient Mustang offense.  The Cougars limited the Mustangs, who average nearly 72 points a contest, to just 49 points (their lowest point total of the season), 22 turnovers and a measly 34.4% shooting from the floor.
 
"We played pretty good defense for the majority of the night," said Elofson.  "We did give up 34 points in the second half, and I would have liked for that to be a little lower, but all in all it was a good effort. Our intensity caused a ton of turnovers, and we had good pressure defense all night. Defensively speaking, I was real pleased."
 
Senior Ruth Taylor scored the first bucket of the game, and the Cougars never looked back leading wire-to-wire.  The Cougars led 10-9 just 5:04 in, then held the Mustangs scoreless over the next 7:49, scoring 12 straight points, capped by a 4-point play by Catherine Solorio that gave Azusa Pacific a 22-9 lead.  TMC's Elisabeth deWaalMalefyt hit a lay-up with 7:07 left, ending the Mustang drought and temporarily stopping the bleeding.  However, the Cougars answered with 7 straight points to take its largest lead of the half, 29-11, with 5:31 to play.
 
The Mustangs hit the first bucket of the second half, cutting into the Cougars' 31-17 halftime lead.  Yet the Cougars answered again with a 12-2 to assume its largest lead of the game, 43-23, with 13:33 to go.
 
At the 12:21 mark senior GSAC Player of the Year Jacqueline Godoy picked up her fourth foul and was forced to the bench.  Just 2 minutes later, Taylor picked up her fourth forcing Elofson to reach deep into his bench.
 
From that point, the Mustangs mounted a furious rally, going on a 26-10 spurt to climb within 4 points with 39 seconds remaining.  However, the Cougars stood tall and held off the Mustang charge, converting 9 crucial free throws down the stretch.
 
Senior All-GSAC Stephanie Patten led all players with 20 points and 10 rebounds.  She hit 8-of-15 shots from the floor.  Godoy ended with 15 points and 7 assists.  Solorio added 13, and Taylor finished with 10 points and 6 rebounds.
 
With the loss, Azusa Pacific improves to 17-6, 11-3.  The Master's falls to 15-8, 8-6.