GLENDORA, Calif. – An all-around team effort.
The Cougars spread the goal scoring wealth as five different players scored in their 5-4 win against Santa Clara on Saturday afternoon. The game was the first of three consecutive Saturday home games to close out the regular season.
Both teams were steady offensively but solid defensive and a numerous shots that hit posts kept the contest low scoring. The nine total goals represents the fewest combined scores in an Azusa Pacific game this campaign. Moreover, it is the first time since late in the 2015, the Cougars posted a win with five or fewer goals.
The highest scoring period of the contest came during the opening eight minutes. Santa Clara took the early lead as Annie Elredge scored less than two minutes into the game. Less than 15 seconds after falling behind Marissa Joerke found the back of the cage for Azusa Pacific. Santa took their final lead of the game when Elredge scored again with 3:36 remaining in the stanza. The Cougars (14-13, 2-3 Golden Coast) closed out the frame with goals by Sarah Adams and Britt Harris.
As the second quarter unfolded the defensive theme became evident. Arianne Yeo scored the only goal after a nice pass from Britni Tisdale with two minutes left until intermission. During the stanza the teams combined for six shots that hit the post.
Santa Clara's Maggie Oys was the only player to find the back of the cage in the third quarter. She scored with 2:46 left in the frame after receiving a feed from Lauren Paxton. In that period there were five total steals along with two field blocks and three hits posts.
Early in the last quarter Carinna Prince scored on the extra-person attack with 6:48 to give the Cougars a 5-3 edge. The scored remained at that two-goal spread until Eldredge scored on a five-meter penalty attempts with 3:38 remaining. Down the stretch the Broncos (11-14, 1-3) were able to get just one shot off, which hit the post. On their last possession, Azusa Pacific sealed the win as Erica Marquez got the game's final steal.
Defensively Marquez had a team high six steals while blocking seven shots in front of the cage. Hannah Bradley swiped three steals.
With two regular season games left the Cougars are within two wins of tying the 2014 squad's school record 16-win campaign.
