LA MIRADA, CALIF - The Cougars suffered their first loss to Biola since 2017 after falling to the Eagles by a final score of 0-3 in a non-conference match in La Mirada on Wednesday evening. Azusa Pacific had 11 shots compared to the Eagles 17, with three shots on goal compared to Biola's six. The loss moves Azusa Pacific's overall record against the Eagles to 38-19-5.

How it Happened: Marco Astorga and Joshua Lugo found the first opportunities for the Cougars in the opening minutes to each take a shot and pressure the Eagles backline, but their efforts came up short to keep the score knotted at zero. In the 18th minute of play, Azusa Pacific found themselves trailing when Biola found the net to take a 1-0 advantage that remained till the second half of play. 

The Eagles were able to put together two more goals in the last 45 minutes to lead the Cougars by three with 12 minutes left in the game. The closest opportunity for Azusa Pacific came in the 79th minute when Gregoire Diep sent a cross into the box via a corner kick, which was half cleared and found it's way to Luis Solis. Solis laced a ball into the left corner of the box to set up Pedro Nagib Gomes, but the Eagles goalkeeper came up with an impressive save on Gomes' shot to keep Azusa Pacific off the board. The Eagles lead would hold for the remainder of the match, which resulted in a 0-3 deficit for the Cougars. 

Up Next: Azusa Pacific will be back at the Cougar Soccer Complex this Saturday, September 24th when they face Point Loma for a non-conference match. Kick off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. and if you cannot attend, you can watch the game for free HERE.