AZUSA, Calif. -- Senior Jolie Nitta made the most of her final regular season home game as a senior, scoring a goal in the 25th minute to spark a 4-0 victory for the NAIA's No. 2-ranked Azusa Pacific over Fresno Pacific Tuesday afternoon.
Midway through the first half, freshman Theresa Broad sent a cross from right to left to sophomore Sarah Yoro, whose header to the front of goal was collected by a Fresno Pacific defender. The clearance found the feet of Nitta, who settled it and sent it past the keeper to the far post to give the Cougars a 1-0 lead in the 25th minute.
"The ball was bouncing around, and it popped out to me," said Nitta, whose goal was the fifth of the season and the 18th of her 4-year Cougar career. "I thought, 'Hey, I should shoot it,' and after missing other opportunities just like that this year, I was really excited to put one away."
The Cougars nearly doubled their lead when Yoro hit the crossbar in the closing seconds of the first half, but this time the Sunbirds were able to successfully clear it out to midfield and end the half with Azusa Pacific leading, 1-0.
Azusa Pacific maintained solid possession almost the entire game, holding Fresno Pacific without a shot until over 60 minutes into the game, and the Sunbirds took both of its shots less than a minute apart after Yoro doubled the lead in the 59th minute. Broad led Yoro with a pass to the right side of the box. Yoro touched it past her defender towards the goal, dribbled at the goal to bring the keeper out, then wound up and fired to the far post to give the Cougars a 2-0 lead.
"The second half was the best half of soccer we have played all year," said Cougar head coach Jason Surrell. "Things were really clicking for us up front, and it was a fun game for me to watch. It all starts with our work rate. When we work hard, we make things very difficult for the other team."
In the 72nd minute, Broad crossed from the left side to the near post, where sophomore Bridget Brotherton's diving header found the back of the net to give Azusa Pacific a 3-0 lead. Less than 5 minutes later, junior Randie Massro won a header in front of the 6-yard box off sophomore Karen Lawrence's corner kick to wrap up the scoring with the Cougars' fourth goal.
Azusa Pacific finished with a 27-2 advantage in shots, and the Cougars lined up 10 corner kicks without conceding any corner kicks to the Sunbirds. Seniors Julie Fletcher and Mandy Heins teamed in the central defense to keep the Cougars organized and limit Fresno Pacific's opportunities and possession.
"When I transferred here last season, Fletch and I just clicked," said Heins, a 2005 transfer from Cal State San Bernardino. "We complement each other very well, we keep things very organized, and the girl behind us (in goal) gives me the confidence that she will come up with the save every single time."
Junior goalkeeper Jill Colfer needed to make just 1 save to post her eighth shutout of the season and the 29th of her career. It was also the third straight clean sheet for the Cougar defense, which has surrendered just 6 total shots in the past 3 games, all wins over GSAC opponents The Master's, San Diego Christian and now Fresno Pacific.
"We played awesome, and it was nice to see that everyone was willing to put it all on the line for everyone else today," said Fletcher, part of a defense that has surrendered just 25 goals in 55 games over the past 3 seasons and was a key reserve as a freshman on the 2002 squad that played in the NAIA title game. "It is nice to see how far this team has come since I started here. We are communicating very well on the field, and hopefully we can get 8 more shutouts and win the big one."
Just over a minute prior to the Cougars' second goal, Brotherton took a pass from midfield, dribbled into space in the area and launched a perfect strike at goal. Her shot was stopped by a diving save from Fresno Pacific goalkeeper Justine Caldera.
With the win, Azusa Pacific improves to 8-1 in GSAC play, 14-1 overall, while Fresno Pacific drops to 3-6 in GSAC, 6-8-2 overall. The Cougars maintained a 2-point lead over second-place Westmont in the conference standings and can clinch their sixth regular-season GSAC crown in the past 9 years.
"It still feels like we haven't really arrived yet, that we are still on an upward climb," said Nitta, who also helped Azusa Pacific to the 2002 title game as a freshman starter in the Cougar midfield. "Hopefully we will peak at the right time for nationals. For me, as a player from out of state, it has been great to have this atmosphere, with the support of the team, the coaches and the parents. Those are the people who don't always get recognized for their support, but they have made my time at Azusa Pacific very special."
Azusa Pacific also extended its home unbeaten streak to 20 games, and the Cougars may have the opportunity to extend the streak when they find out if they will host any of next week's games when the NAIA Region II playoffs begin with NAIA Tournament berths on the line.
