AZUSA, Calif. – Welcome to the next season. Just not the desired result.

In the PacWest conference opener for both teams, Dixie State held off Azusa Pacific 2-1 on Thursday evening.

Playing with a good energy throughout the contest, the Cougars fell by one goal for the third time this season in looking for their first win. Heading into their second league game Saturday at Concordia, Azusa Pacific holds a 0-3-2 overall mark.

In Thursday's contest, Azusa Pacific was able to get off 15 shots and created a handful of solid set piece chances but got behind in the earlier stages.

Post Game Interview with Azusa Pacific head coach Dave Blomquist

Dixie State's Ather Dawood put the visitors on the scoreboard in the 21st minute when he and Moises Medina worked a give-and-go. Medina streaked through the middle of the field and played a nice ball to Dawood on the left side who took a dribble and buried the ball in the back of the net.  

In the 50th minute Kaleb Armbrust nearly tied the game when his free kick at the top of the box clipped off the post. On the Trailblazer's (3-3, 1-0) ensuing opportunity Christian Hall scored his second goal of the season. Hall blasted a shot near the top box to give his team a two-goal edge.

Azusa Pacific got their deficit down to one goal moments later. The underclassmen tandem of Callum Wallace and Mathias Thomsen put together a net finder. Wallace slid passed a ball from the left side inside the box and Thomsen booted the ball into the back of the cage for his first collegiate goal.

As the closing minutes of the game ticked away each team had their opportunities with shots on goal as well as set pieces but the score remained unchanged.

For Dixie State it is the first victory in seven meetings with the Cougars. Azusa Pacific won the first five meetings with the teams tying 1-1 last year.