Box Score AZUSA, Calif. – In a critical match-up at the PacWest's midway point, Azusa Pacific responded with a 2-1 win over Notre Dame de Namur on Saturday afternoon.

The win lifts the Cougars into a first-place tie in the conference standings with Fresno Pacific. Both teams have a 7-1 record in league play. 

"I thought our attacking movement was the best it has been all season. We moved the ball well and we were reading each others movements really well," said head coach Dave Blomquist. "We just have to continue to take one game at a time and stay focused on what's next."

The best opportunity early in the game came in the 15th minute when Jack Ewert received a pass in the middle of the field but his chip shot attempt in a one-on-one situation with goalie Tyler Jaramillo sailed over the cross bar. 

Azusa Pacific responded moments later with the game's first net-finder. Luke Ackermann scored his third goal of the year in the 21st minute when he half-volleyed a centering pass from Dane Johnson pass off the right side. 

During the early minutes of the second half the Argonauts kept most of the play in their offensive end of the field.  They took two corner kicks and had a shot on goal but the Cougars defense didn't break as they kept the visitors off the scoreboard. 

The one-goal game changed when Keyran Kelly took advantage of a loose ball at the top of the box in the 67th minute. The junior controlled the deflection of the initial opportunity and put a left footed blast on the ball from 18 yards on the right side that tucked nicely into the left side of the net. 

Moments later the Cougars nearly made the score 3-0 but an apparent goal by Omar Nunez was wiped off the board because of a foul call. With just over 10 minutes to play Carlos Garcia-Partida put a header on frame from a Nate Nugen corner kick but the Argonauts defender was in the right place as he deflected the ball away. 

The Argonauts made things interesting in the 83rd minute when Ewert put a ball in the bottom third of the net on the left side. 

"The goal made everything a bit more tense so we just wanted to make sure everyone had their responsibilities right so we didn't give-up the tying goal," said Blomquist.

Notre Dame de Namur had great chance to tie it with two minutes left but Hunter LeBlanc's blast at the top of box was deflected away by a diving Tyler Jaramillo. 

Azusa Pacific concludes its three-game homestand with a Thursday contest against Dixie State at 5:30 p.m.