JACKSON, Tenn. ö Azusa Pacific led for 39:36 seconds of its opening round game against No. 14-seed Brescia (Ky.).  Unfortunately, for the Cougars, it was in the final 24 seconds that they lost their lead and subsequently the game, 53-52, to the Lady Bearcats in the opening round of the 2002 NAIA National Championship Tournament in Jackson, Tenn.
 
The loss is the third consecutive first round loss for the Cougars.  Brescia will face Oklahoma City in the second round tomorrow afternoon at 2:15 (CST).
 
"The girls played tremendously hard, but we just couldn't close the door down," said Azusa Pacific head coach Matt Elofson, who recorded the most wins by an Azusa Pacific head coach in their first season.  "We turned the ball over a lot, and that's how they scored most of their points ö off our turnovers.  I don't think the pressure got to us. We just didn't execute when we needed to.  They (Brescia) fought with a ton of heart and refused to go away."
 
Paced by the inside play of senior Ruth Taylor, the Cougars built 3 separate 9-point leads in the second half, the latest being 47-38 with 9:35 to go, and they appeared to be headed towards a relatively easy win.  Taylor scored 12 of her team-high 14 points in the second half.
 
However, the Lady Bearcats were relentless and began chipping away at the deficit.  The Cougars led the entire way until Alicia Carver hit a baseline jumper to tie the game at 52-52 with 24 seconds to play.  That was the first time the Cougars failed to hold the lead.
 
Azusa Pacific held the ball for one final shot and ran the clock down.  Kodak All-American Jacqueline Godoy drove down the lane, and found an open Stephanie Patten waiting.  However, Godoy's pass was deflected, and on the loose ball, Brescia's Kari Jo Edwards picked it up and was fouled with 3 seconds left. She hit the front end of the one-and-one, and missed the second.  The Cougars rebounded but failed to get off a last second shot.
 
Azusa Pacific came out firing on all cylinders, jumping out to a 10-0 lead less than 3 minutes into the contest.  All 10 points came on fast-break lay-ups, 6 of them from Godoy.  Brescia clawed its way back to within 5 (14-9) with 11:34 to play with a 9-4 spurt. However, Godoy sparked an 8-2 Cougar run with a 3-point play and a length of the court pass to Solorio, who hit the lay-up to give the Cougars their largest lead of the game 22-11 with 5:28 to play.
 
Again Brescia climbed within 6 (22-16), but Godoy, playing with a pair of early fouls, converted another 3-point play to push the lead back up to 9 (25-16) with 3:17 to go.  The Cougars led 25-19 at the intermission.
 
All-GSAC Catherine Solorio Taylor each led the Cougars with 14 points apiece.  Godoy finished with 13 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists.  Patten chipped in with 9 points and 10 rebounds.  The Cougars committed a season-high 33 turnovers, which hurt their cause.
 
Azusa Pacific's finishes the season 25-8 overall, splitting the regular-season GSAC title and winning the GSAC Postseason Tournament for the third straight season.