RIVERSIDE, Calif. – While it took a bit longer than desired, the first win of the year had a little extra flair to it.

Playing with a good energy and passion for the onset, Azusa Pacific posted not only a rivalry win but a PacWest win as well with a 2-1 victory against California Baptist.

With the triumph the Cougars up their record to 1-4-2 overall and 1-1-1 in league games. California Baptist, who entered the game ranked eighth in the NSCAA west region poll, drops to 5-2 and 1-1 respectively.

Post Game Interview with head coach Dave Blomquist

An evenly played opening 45 minutes saw each team get off six total shots as the Cougars held the lead at intermission.  The lone goal of the first half came from Caleb Candelaria. The senior scored his third goal of the season when he secured a feed from Raul Martinez and deposited the ball into the bottom right corner of the net in the 26th minute.

Callum Wallace increased the Cougars lead in the 56th minute. Martinez fed him from the left side and the sophomore calmly deposited the ball into the back of the net from in close. Moments later Wallace nearly made it a three-goal lead put his blast pounded off the cross bar.

Azusa Pacific was forced to dig a little deeper on the hot and sunny afternoon. In the 79th minute Martinez received his second yellow card and forced the Cougars to play with 10 players the rest of the way. The home squad nearly converted in the 83rd minute but Dane Johnson and backline cleared away a centering feed that clanged off the cross bar.

The Lancers got on the scoreboard with just under three minutes left as Cobi Hunt took advantage of a misplayed ball inside the box to put his team within a goal. A frantic final three minutes saw California Baptist continue to press but to no avail.

On Thursday the squad concludes a brutal four-game in eight-day stretch with a home game against Dominican at 5 p.m.