AZUSA, Calif. - Azusa Pacific played its first game in the Felix Event Center this season, falling to Simon Fraser in four sets. After dropping the first two sets by the same 25-22 tally, the Cougars bounced back with a 25-20 third set win, but the Red Leafs shut the door with another 25-22 victory in the fourth set.

Annaka Jorgenson did all she could for the Cougars, racking up 23 kills with a hitting percentage of .420 on 50 attempts, while also recording two solo blocks and two block assists defensively. Now in her fifth season in the program, the performance was Jorgenson's career-best hitting percentage with 50 or more attempts in a single match. Her previous career-best percentage on 50 or more attempts was .404, which she achieved on Sept. 11, 2021, in a match against Westminster in which she recorded 26 kills on 57 attempts. Kyra Palmbush finished with a solo block and three block assists, while adding a season-high 10 kills. Trinitee Carroll finished with 23 assists. 

How It Happened: Despite late runs in both of the first two sets of the evening, the Cougars found themselves in a 0-2 hole to the Red Leafs. In the third set, Azusa Pacific opened up a 10-6 lead, but Simon Fraser came back with six of the next seven points to grab its first advantage of the set at 12-11. The lead would be short-lived, as a service error and Jorgenson kill put the Cougars back on top at 13-12. After Simon Fraser tied it back up at 13 all, Kendyl Macaskill delivered a kill for the Cougars that sparked a 6-0 run. From that point on in the set, the Cougars lead remained at four or more, sending the match to the fourth set.

Early in the fourth, the Cougars were up 7-5, but the Red Leafs rattled off six unanswered points to take the lead for good. A late comeback attempt by the Cougars made it 24-22, but Simon Fraser closed things out with a block at the net for the 25th and final point of the evening.

By the Numbers: The Cougars finished with a team hitting percentage of .287 (60-for-150), which is their season-best showing by more than .100 percentage points. For the third consecutive match, Azusa Pacific finished with a total of eight blocks (10 assists, three solo). On the other side of the net, Simon Fraser finished with 65 kills on 136 attempts, and their hitting percentage of. 353 is a season-best by a Cougar opponent thus far. 

Up Next: The Cougars (1-4) are back in the Felix Event Center tomorrow, with two home games on the schedule. At 10:00 am, the Cougars will host Northwest Nazarene, and at 3:00 pm, San Francisco State will be the opponent. Admission is free for Cougar volleyball, and for those unable to make it out to Azusa, there is a free live stream right here on APUCougars.com.