AZUSA, Calif. -- Despite temperatures nearing triple-digits Saturday afternoon, the Azusa Pacific men's soccer team turned up the heat on nationally-ranked Western Washington, which was ranked 13th in NCAA Division II, with a pair of first-half goals. The Cougars protected the 2-0 halftime lead with a scoreless second half to secure the victory.

Azusa Pacific went on the attack from the outset, putting constant pressure on Western Washington's defense. Following a string of solid chances, the Cougars struck first in the 19^th minute. Redshirt sophomore James Ndubueze scored the first goal of the game when he redirected a shot by junior Arturo Astorga into the back of the net. The goal was Ndubueze's first on the season, and Astorga's third assist on the year.
 
Azusa Pacific continued its aggressive attack and drew a Western Washington foul in the 26^th minute for a free kick. Freshman Gregoire Diep took the free kick and connected from about 25 feet out to give the Cougars a 2-0 lead. In addition to the second goal of the contest, Diep led the Cougars with three shots.
 
For the rest of the match, the Cougars limited opportunities for Western Washington and played staunch defense to finish out the game. The Cougars used a duo of goalkeepers in the game, as sophomore Nathanael Linquist replaced sophomore Brendan Fix, with both keepers recording two saves each.
 
Following a pair of home victories over opponents from the Great Northwest Athletic Conference this past week, Azusa Pacific takes its 3-1 overall record on the road for a visit to Westmont College, a non-conference NAIA opponent, on Saturday, September 15. The road trip continues as PacWest play begins with three straight games in Hawai'i, starting with Chaminade on Thursday, September 20.

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS