SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Azusa Pacific is now 2-2 in the competitive Golden Coast Conference, after the Cougars visited Santa Clara on Saturday afternoon and earned a 14-6 victory over the Broncos. The Cougars are 13-10 overall. 

Laia Marsinach Ortega led the Cougar attack, putting four goals into the back of the cage for the visitors. Skylar Ford, Alyssa Perez and Maritza Ochoa also had multi-goal performances, with the trio scoring three apiece. Mica Schiavone and Montana White had three assists, while Catherine Ahumada set up two goals. Daniela Herrero Miralles earned the win in goal for the Cougars, as she played the first two quarters. Alex Airitam took over in the second half, and she tallied four saves during her time between the posts.

How It Happened: The game was knotted up after the first period of play, with both sides scoring two goals in the opening period. After the two teams traded a goal through the first two minutes of the second period, the Cougars started to take control of the momentum in the final four minutes of the first half, as an Ochoa goal made it 4-3, and a penalty from Marsinach Ortega put Azusa Pacific on top 5-3. While the Broncos made it 5-4 with just over two and a half minutes before the intermission, Boix Pascual would push the lead back to two at 6-4, and Marsinach Ortega would give the Cougars' their largest lead of the game to that point with a goal with 30 seconds left before the break.

The Cougars kept control following halftime, with Azusa Pacific extending the lead to 11-5 over the first five minutes of the third period. At the end of the period, the Cougars were up 12-6. Azusa Pacific would add two more goals in the fourth period, while Airitam and the Cougar defense held Santa Clara scoreless over the final eight minutes.

By the Numbers: The Cougars have scored 10 or more goals in all four of their GCC games thus far. In those four conference games, Azusa Pacific has scored 49 goals, while its opponents have put 37 away. Azusa Pacific is just a few goals away from being 4-0 in conference play, with both of the Cougars' losses being by just one goal. The all-time series between the Cougars and Broncos is now 9-7 in favor of Azusa Pacific, as the dominance has completely changed hands. Santa Clara won the first seven meetings between the two schools from 2013 through 2016, but the Cougars have now won nine consecutive games against the Broncos, with that streak starting in the 2017 season. 

Up Next: The Cougars will be at home for two games next week, starting with a Friday, April 12 matchup with GCC opponent and No. 8-ranked Fresno State at 3:00 pm. The following day will be the Cougars' home finale and Senior Day against Biola for the Cornerstone Cup. That game will also be at 3:00 pm, and an alumni game will follow at 4:30 pm.