GLENDORA, Calif. - Azusa Pacific got its 2024 season underway on Thursday afternoon, and the Cougars wasted no time getting into the win column, as they beat visiting Cal State Monterey Bay 16-6. 

A balanced Cougar offensive attack was led by Montana White and Skylar Ford, who each tallied five points in the game. White scored three goals and had two assists, while Ford finished with two goals and three assists. A total of seven Cougars had multi-goal efforts in the contest, as Rachel Ahumada, Maritza Ochoa, Mica Schiavone, Alexandra Akritidou, and Maria Boix Pascual each had two goals apiece on the day. Boix Pascual also added six steals defensively. In goal, Daniela Herrero Miralles earned the win with four saves in the first half, before Alex Airitam took over in the second half to record eight saves. 

How It Happened: Azusa Pacific got off to a good start, out-scoring the Otters by a 5-1 tally through the first period. Five different Cougars each put a ball in the back of the cage in the first. With just over a minute left to play before halftime, Ochoa scored on a power play to put the Cougars in double digits at 10-2. At the break, Azusa Pacific held a comfortable 10-3 lead.

The third quarter was an even affair, with both teams scoring two goals apiece. Azusa Pacific scored the first two of the period, with both coming within the first two minutes of the second half, while Cal State Monterey Bay scored two late goals in the third to make it 12-5 heading into the final eight minutes of play.

The Cougars were able push their lead to as large as 16-5 in the fourth quarter, as the hosts held the Otter scoreless for nearly seven and a half minutes of the fourth.

By the Numbers: The Cougars took a total of 34 shots in the game, while Cal State Monterey Bay took 35. Azusa Pacific had 13 exclusions to just four for the Otters, and the Cougars finished 2-for-3 on power plays and 1-for-1 on penalties, while Cal State Monterey Bay was 4-for-12 in power play chances and missed their lone penalty shot.

Up Next: The Cougars will head north to Santa Barbara for a pair of games on Saturday, January 20, where they will compete in the UCSB Invite. The Cougars open with an 8:00 am game against the hosts, and then take on Ottawa (Ariz.) at 1:00 pm.