LA VERNE, Calif. – Azusa Pacific found their way back into the win column, taking down the fifth-ranked team in Division III, La Verne, setting a season high in scoring with a 21-6 victory over the Leopards.  Jessie Nelson led the offense with six goals in the win.

How It Happened: Laia Marsinach Ortega gave the Cougars the lead by striking the back of the cage two minutes into the game.  After a La Verne equalizer, Alexandra Akritidou put the Cougars back in front with a penalty shot.  On the next trip down, Marsinach Ortega scored on a power play to give Azusa Pacific a 3-1 lead.  In all, the Cougars would score the final six goals of the period to assume a 7-1 lead at quarter's end, the best offensive quarter of Azusa Pacific's season to date.

The Cougars added to their run by scoring the first two goals of the second quarter, running their lead to 9-1 before the Leopards were able to end their drought.  After that goal, Nelson struck on consecutive trips down the pool, giving her four in the first half and Azusa Pacific 11 goals in 11 minutes of play.  The Cougars would make it four in a row and end the half with a 13-3 lead.

The third quarter was far more defensive in nature, though Jaeden Johnson became the second Cougar with a hat trick when she found the back of the net with two minutes left in the period, keeping the margin at double figures.  Marsinach Ortega would do the same on the power play before the end of the third, extending the lead to 15-4.  In the fourth, Audrey Dexter became the 8th different Cougar to score in the game and Azusa Pacific scored the first three goals of the period to remove any lingering doubts about the outcome.

By the Numbers:  n the first half, the Cougars scored 13 goals on their first 18 shots of the contest.  Four different Cougars had a hat trick:  Nelson (6 goals), Marsinach Ortega (4), Akritidou (3), and Johnson (3).  At the other end, the Cougars defense earned 14 steals while Daniela Herrero Miralles had 6 saves.  

Up Next: Azusa Pacific (3-8) will wrap up their two-game road trip against the SCIAC by taking on the second-ranked Division III squad from Claremont Mudd-Scripps.  Game time in Claremont is set for Saturday at 2:30 p.m.