AZUSA, CALIF - Hawaii Pacific has never defeated Azusa Pacific on the road and it has been since 2014 that the Sharks got a victory against the Cougars. Things did not change during Wednesday evenings game as the Cougars defeated Hawaii Pacific by a final score of 2-0. The win improves the Cougars all-time record against the Sharks to 7-1-2. Forward Bethany Tee was the lone goal scorer in the match, picking up two goals and Bella Hara shined in front of net for the Cougars and claimed her second clean sheet on the season. 

How It Happened: The Cougars were coming off a draw to Chaminade at the weekend and with just two final home games on the schedule, they put on a show for their home crowd. Much like the game against the Silverswords, the Cougars were dominating possession. Trying to make runs along the sides of the pitch, Winger Avery Guiel showcased her pace early on making runs in behind the defense. 

Shining in the first half for the Cougars was midfielder Katie Prado and Mackenzie Coleman. Coleman, a ball magnet throughout, offered a lot of support from the midfield. Although the Cougars had nine shots in the first half and looked deserving of the opening goal, the score remained leveled 0-0 at the break.

The second half had plenty of action for Azusa Pacific as they were able to get things going quickly, and changing formation allowed the girls to press the Sharks deep into their own half for the first 15 minutes. 

It was the 60th minute when Tee opened the scoring books with a goal. Her initial shot blocked, Tee followed her run and cleaned up the finish to give the Cougars a 1-0 advantage. It was Tee again in the 87th, this time putting the game to rest when she converted the penalty kick. "I always have my mind made up just in case given an opportunity [from the penalty spot]" Tee added when asked about the penalty kick. The Cougars defense kept the Sharks at bay for the remaineder of the match and Azusa Pacific was able to pick up the 2-0 victory. 

Tee's penalty finish made her goal total to seven on the year after an impressive performance. "Our play in the attacking third and our offensive six created many opportunities tonight," said goalscorer Tee. A great all around team effort for the Cougars and a second clean sheet for Hara, "My backline trusted me and I trusted them tonight… I wasn't nervous going into the match tonight and trusted my training," said Hara. 

By the Numbers: Azusa Pacific showed why they deserved the win with 26 total shots and 12 of them being on target compared to Hawaii Pacific's three with two on target. With Tee's four shots on goal tonight and two goals, she now ranks second in the PacWest in both categories with 24 shots on goal and seven goals. As a team, the Cougars are tied for second in the PacWest with 96 shots on goal. 

Up Next: The Cougars now improve to 4-1-2 in PacWest Conference play and currently hold a tie for second in conference standings with 14 points. The final home game and Senior Night will take place on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. against #10 Hawai'i Hilo at the Cougar Soccer Complex. Be sure to come out early and support the eight seniors who will be playing their final home game in front of the fans.