AZUSA, Calif. -- If Azusa Pacific can get this kind of defensive performance on a nightly basis, then it may not matter how much it can score.

The NAIA's No. 2-ranked Cougars, who coming into tonight were next to last in the GSAC with just 15 goals, surrendered just 1 measly shot and got a 2-0 GSAC win over The Master's.

The win keeps the Cougars unbeaten at 7-0-1 overall, 3-0 GSAC. The Master's falls to 6-3-1 overall, 1-2 GSAC.

The story of the night was the Cougar defense, which has allowed just 1 goal in 8 games this season. And even that goal was scored by No. 1-ranked Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), which last year scored an NAIA record 162 goals. The Mustangs, who are off to their best start in program history and are sixth in the GSAC in goals, could only muster one shot, and it wasn't even on frame.

"To not give up a shot, I can't complain about that," said Azusa Pacific head coach Jason Surrell, the program's all-time winningest coach. "That is a credit to our team defense, which is what we've been talking about since day one. Our defense is so strong, and it's not just our defenders in the back. It works from the front to the back—a team concept that each of these girls has bought into."

Playing its first game without both Erin Arbizu and Jolie Nitta, both of whom are former All-GSAC athletes that suffered season-ending injuries, it took the Cougars awhile to get going.

In the 67th minute, however, Julie Fletcher struck for her first goal of the year. She collected a Megan Cardin corner that landed at the feet of Randie Massro and slid it past Mustang keeper Leticia Pena.

That was all the Cougars needed, but just in case in the 90th minute, Massro hammered home a header for her first career goal off another corner, this one by All-American Stephanie Bays.

The Cougars out-shot the Mustangs, 13-1 and took 11 corner kicks.

"We're going to have to scrap, claw and fight in every game," said Surrell. "We have the character on this team to do that."