SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – In the penultimate match of the season, the Cougars struck once in each half to secure a 2-0 victory over Academy of Art.  Brian Torres and Andrew Gomez each found the back of the net to secure the Cougars their fifth victory of the season.

How It Happened:  The Cougars enjoyed the lion's share of the chances in the first half, outshooting the Urban Knights by a 7-2 margin.  And in the 29th minute, those opportunities finally paid off.  Gabriel Oropeza fired in a shot that was saved by the Urban Knights' keeper, but the rebound spilled fight to Torres, who slotted the ball home into the lower right corner of the net for a 1-0 lead.

The second half was contested on far more even footing as Academy of Art pressed forward looking for an equalizer.  Alexis Rodriguez was forced into making three saves in the second half, while a fourth shot on target was blocked off the line by the Cougar defense.  With a little over 20 minutes remaining, Gomez got the ball near the top of the box, turned and beat the keeper to provide a valuable insurance goal.

By the Numbers:  The Cougars outshot Academy of Art 15-8 for the game.  Gomez's fifth goal of the season gives him the team lead, while Rodriguez collected his fourth shutout of the season and the seventh of his career.  This was the Cougars' second consecutive win against the Urban Knights, and Azusa Pacific is unbeaten against the Urban Knights in eight straight matchups (7-0-1).

Up Next:  Azusa Pacific (5-8-2, 4-4-2 PacWest) will close out the season with a trip up to Rocklin to face Jessup on Thursday.  Kickoff against the Warriors is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.