LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The Cougar defense put up a strong fight early, but Azusa Pacific ultimately fell to seventh-ranked Loyola Marymount by a final of 14-6 Friday evening at the Burns Aquatics Center.
The game started with both sides struggling to find a hole in the defense, as more than five minutes passed before the host Lions finally found the back of the cage. Audrey Dexter got the Cougars on the board with just over a minute to play in the opening quarter, putting the Cougars down only 2-1 heading into the second. The teams traded early goals, with Bailey Hollick pulling the Cougars within 3-2 about 1:45 into the period.
Four more minutes went by without a change in the scoreboard before LMU again pounced. This time, the floodgates opened, as the Lions would score three goals in the final two minutes of the half to pull ahead 6-2; then add the first three goals after intermission to extend the lead to 9-2 midway through the third quarter.
Hollick scored her second to finally break the drought and, in what has become a far more common occurrence than one would suspect, goalkeeper Daniela Herrero Miralles got in on the scoring by beating the third quarter buzzer to pull the Cougars back within 10-5. But a single tally from Montana George would be all the offense the Cougars could muster in the fourth quarter as the Lions pulled away at home.
By the Numbers: Miralles' goal was her fourth of the season, while she also recorded 15 saves in net. Hollick was the lone Cougar with multiple goals in the game, though Evelyne Prado and Kohia Rego each had a pair of assists. Jessie Nelson had the other goal for Azusa Pacific, giving her a team-high 64 this season. Loyola Marymount is 14-1 all-time against Azusa Pacific, with the Cougars' lone victory coming back in 2021.
Up Next: Azusa Pacific (16-9, 0-5 GCC) return to Citrus College on Wednesday for their home finale in a Cornerstone Cup battle against Biola. The match will take place under the lights at 7:30 p.m., and the team will honor their seniors at the game.
