AZUSA, Calif. – Azusa Pacific handed #11 Concordia its first loss of the season, holding on to a first-half goal from Sophia Emerson. Goalkeeper Maddie Williams came up big in the second half to save a penalty kick to hold off the Golden Eagles. 

"Last season we had a huge match with them [Concordia]; we were up 1-0 and they scored with three minutes to go to tie the match 1-1 and we haven't forgotten about that," shared head coach Brooke Lincoln. "It feels awesome… Huge shoutout to our coaching staff for the groundwork that they did… The girls showed grit and fight and tonight we finished one of our chances and tonight that's all we needed."

How It Happened: Azusa Pacific wasted no time pushing forward in the first half, with Avery Guiel firing off two shots within the opening 14 minutes. The Cougars earned two corner kicks soon after, capitalizing in the 15th minute when junior Alexis Fuller sent a cross that met the head of Sophia Emerson, giving Azusa Pacific an early 1-0 advantage. This marked Emerson's second goal of the season and Fuller's second assist in as many games. Concordia didn't roll over, taking three shots in the following minutes, one of which forced a critical save from Williams as she redirected the ball over the goal and off the crossbar.

Just nine minutes into the second half, Concordia was awarded a penalty kick, but Williams denied them the equalizer with an imperative save, guessing the right way and holding onto the ball.

Concordia intensified their attack, attempting five shots to Azusa Pacific's two in the half, but the Cougars' defense held strong. Center-back Gianna Ocello made a clutch defensive play in the final ten minutes, poking the ball away from a Concordia forward on a breakaway. Azusa Pacific weathered the Golden Eagles' offensive pressure, securing the crucial win to keep its playoff hopes alive.

By the Numbers: Azusa Pacific (9-3-1) defeated Concordia (9-1-2) for the first time since 2017. The Cougars had six shots, with four on target, while Maddie Williams registered six saves in goal. Five subs were used off the bench and Williams, Gianna Ocello, Sophia Emerson, and Hailey Hilton all logged 90 minutes. 

Up Next: The Cougars have a week-long break before heading up to the Bay Area for a three-game series to close conference play. They will take on Menlo on Saturday, Nov 2, at 2:00 p.m., to kick off their trip.