AZUSA, Calif. - Azusa Pacific beat Northwest Nazarene 3-1 (25-15, 25-10, 15-25, 25-18) to start the day on Friday, and a few hours later, the Cougars beat San Francisco State in dominant fashion (25-16, 25-22, 25-16). The Cougars are now 3-4 this season.

GAME ONE RECAP

Annaka Jorgenson, Sarah Wilson, and Kyra Palmbush led the Cougar attack, each finishing with double-digit kills. Jorgenson had 17, Wilson posted 14, and Palmbush added 10. Defensively, the Cougars were dominant at the net, finishing with a season-best 13 total blocks. Mackenzie Jensen had two solo blocks and five block assists, Kendyl Macaskill had seven block assists, and Palmbush contributed five block assists. 

The Cougars led from the outset in the first, maintaining a lead of five or more for most of the set. The opening set was Azusa Pacific's most efficient set of the match, posting a hitting percentage of .375 with 14 kills on 32 attempts. In the second set, Azusa Pacific went on a huge 18-2 run to open up a 22-8 lead, allowing the Cougars to coast to the 2-0 match lead. The second set was also highlighted by six total blocks for the Cougars (eight block assists, two solo blocks). After the Nighthawks picked up a win in the third set, the Cougars flipped a 12-13 deficit in the fourth set into a 22-15 lead, which was enough to secure the win. 

GAME TWO RECAP

Azusa Pacific carried the momentum from the morning right into the afternoon, making quick work of the visiting Gators. Palmbush and Wilson shared the team-lead in kills with 11 apiece. In the service game, the Cougars racked up nine service aces on the match, including five in the first set alone. Paige Johnston notched a team-high of three aces, while Jorgenson, Wilson and Brooke Bunker added two aces each. 

An opening 6-1 lead was enough to jumpstart the Cougars in the first, as they maintained a lead of three or more for the entirety of the opening frame. Azusa Pacific's largest lead of the first set was 10, which it held twice at 17-7 and 18-8. The second set was a far more competitive affair, as it consisted of nine ties and five lead changes between the two sides. With the score tied late at 22-22, Gator attack errors sandwiched a kill by Wilson, which allowed the Cougars to score three unanswered points to take the set win. In the third set, San Francisco State was up 8-7, but the Cougars surged ahead with five straight points to take a 12-8 lead. From that point on, Azusa Pacific maintained the advantage, and the match was closed out when Palmbush and Macaskill combined for a game-winning block at the net.

The Cougars finished with a season-best hitting percentage of .311 in the victory, recording 41 kills on 103 attempts, and committing a season-low of nine attack errors. 

Up Next: A big road test lies ahead for the Cougars, as they will take a quick trip down the 57 freeway to take on No. 23 Cal Poly Pomona at 2:00 pm. The game can be watched on the CCAA Network (subscription required).