AZUSA, Calif. – Azusa Pacific lost its opening match of the week, falling to Hawai'i Hilo 2-1 despite scoring first.

How It Happened: Just minutes into the game, Gabriel Oropeza fired off the first shot, setting a strong tone for the first half. Shortly after, Andrew Gomez scored his first goal of the season in the ninth minute, delivering a powerful shot into the right corner.

Thanks to Gomez's early goal, the Cougars entered halftime with a 1-0 lead, despite facing five shots from the Vulcans in the first half.

The Vulcans responded in the second half, equalizing in the 57th minute. A cross from the left side reached Gen Takahashi, who found the high left corner, just past Alexis Rodriguez.

Looking to regain the lead, the Cougars fired off seven shots in the second half. Exides Quesada Navarro had two solid attempts on goal, both saved by the Vulcans' goalkeeper, and Oropeza struck again from outside the box, only to hit the right post.

In the 83rd minute, the Vulcans seized the opportunity, with Brian Trujillo scoring just moments after Oropeza's attempt went the other way.

Oropeza led the Cougars with three shots, including two on target, but couldn't convert. In goal, Alexis Rodriguez recorded two saves against the Vulcans' 15 shots.

Up Next: The Cougars will need to bounce back quickly as they host Chaminade on Thursday, followed by Senior Night on Saturday against Concordia. Both matches are part of doubleheaders, with the men's game kicking off at 5:00 pm and the women's at 7:30 pm.