AZUSA, Calif. -- What was supposed to be a match-up between the GSAC's top 2 defensive units instead turned into a first half shoot-out, and fortunately for Azusa Pacific, it had the most ammo.

The NAIA's No. 3-ranked Cougars scored 2 goals in the first 8 minutes then held on for a 5-2 GSAC win over The Master's College Wednesday in Azusa.

With the win, Azusa Pacific stays unbeaten and moves to 9-0-1 overall, 3-0 GSAC. The Mustangs fall to 6-5, 1-2. The win also snaps the Cougars' mini 2-game losing skid to the Mustangs.

Coming into the contest, the Mustangs boasted the GSAC's second-ranked defense surrendering less than a goal per game, but Cougar forwards Ian Leibbrandt and Andriy Budnyy exposed holes all day and took advantage of several opportunities as the Cougars scored 4 of their 5 goals in the first half.

"The thing about this team is that it's so potent," said Azusa Pacific head coach Phil Wolf. "Thank goodness we have this kind of firepower."

Liebbrandt book ended the game with a pair of goals. His first came in the fifth minute off a free kick right at the top of the box. His low liner slipped past a screened Mustang keeper Ryan Burton and inside the left post.

Just 3 minutes later, Budnyy got into the act with the first of his 2 scores. Damon Brooks stole an errant Mustang pass down the right sideline. He carried the ball untouched into the box and floated a perfect cross that Budnyy volleyed in the air past Burton and into the far post netting.

It appeared as though that would be enough as the Cougars had hoped to leave the rest up to its GSAC-leading defense, but the Mustangs battled and cut the deficit in half with a goal by Luke Barnes in the 21st minute.

Eight minutes after that, however, Budnyy struck again when he headed a failed clearance into a wide-open net for his eighth goal in just his fifth game.

Again, the Cougar lead appeared safe, but Ewout Van Rhee collected a rebound off a Morgan Cathey save and fired a one-timer to again make it a one-goal deficit in the 39th minute. Just more than one minute later, though, Brooks got into the act with his first career goal as he rose above several defenders to head in a Dustin McBride cross.

Leibbrandt then rounded out the scoring when he took a through ball from Budnyy down the middle and beat Burton in the 85th minute for his sixth goal of the year. The Cougars outshot the Mustangs, 18-13, but had a significant 10-4 advantage on goal.

It just the second time this season that the Azusa Pacific defense, which was playing its second straight game without an injured All-GSAC Tony Rotunno, has surrendered 2 goals.

"This was our worst performance on the season," said Wolf. "We didn't play well and were not intelligent. We defended poorly and were disorganized and all played as individuals. As bad as we played though, we scored 5 goals and had a 3-goal win. You feel like that if this is bad as we can play, then we'll take it."