PHOENIX, Ariz. – The Cougars delivered a solid performance all around to earn their second consecutive victory, winning all six events and 16 out of 20 heats in a 277.015-260.315 victory over Arizona Christian Thursday evening in the ACU Events Center.

In the first half of a home-and-home with the Firestorm, the evening started with the visiting Cougars scoring a decisive win in the compulsory event, where the Cougars put up four marks of 9.40 or better, highlighted by a 9.85 in the pyramid heat.  In all, the Cougars won three of the four heats and took a three and a half point lead out of the event.  The lead would be extended in the acro event, as Jessica Gill, Hannah Alonzo, Katrina Gonzalez and Quincy Eisaman worked together to put up a 9.90 in the 5-element heat.  Every score the Cougars earned in the acro and pyramid events was a 9.70 or higher as the lead ballooned to five and a quarter points by intermission.

Azusa Pacific continued to pull away in the toss event, winning each of the first two heats by more than a point apiece and putting up a 9.85 in the open toss heat.  In the tumbling event, Beth Magee and Jacie Van de Zilver put up a 9.60 out of a possible 9.75 in the duo tumbling pass, and the quad pass also earned close to its maximum possible score, earning 8.90 out of a possible 9.10.  By the time Gabby Spencer turned in a 9.875 in the open tumbling heat, the Cougars had stretched their lead over the homestanding Firestorm to double digits, taking the tumbling event by more than four points with a score of 54.985.  Another four-point advantage in the team event propelled the Cougars to the victory. 

The Cougars (2-0) improved to 4-0 all-time against the Firestorm (2-3), who are in their third year as a program.  Three of those wins have come in Phoenix.  The 17-point margin Thursday night was the closest of those four meetings. 

Despite their win over current #1 Oregon last week, Azusa Pacific was not included in this week's NCATA national rankings because they had not yet met the minimum of two games played this season. That has now changed, and the Cougars will find out where they sit in the national rankings on Wednesday ahead of next Saturday's season finale when they host Arizona Christian at the Felix Event Center.  Only the top four teams will qualify for this year's national championships, which will be hosted by defending champion Baylor.