Breaking Streaks

Saturday, October 25

Riverside

2:30 PM

California Baptist University

Azusa Pacific

Photo by: Leigh Ann Lindsey

10/25/2014 6:49:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

By: Sammi Sheppard, Director of Sports Information

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — It may not be a tale as old as time, but California Baptist University and Azusa Pacific are no strangers to each other, facing each other at both the NAIA and NCAA Division II levels. The Lancers came out fired up to host their rival and grabbed a 1-0 win Saturday afternoon, snapping the Cougars' scoreless and winning streak.

"APU is a good team, their record does not reflect the team they are," said head coach Kristen St. Clair. "It's always a good game between the two schools since we compete at high levels. It's a good win for us. Every win is important and we just need to continue to take care of business."

The Lancers, who currently rank No. 8 in the NCAA Division II West Region, improve to 9-4-2 on the season and remain unbeaten in PacWest action at 7-0-2. APU—which had come into the contest with a five-game winning streak—falls to 7-7-1 overall and 5-3-1 in conference.,

APU may have gotten the first two shots off in the game, but the Lancers never let the Cougars cause too much danger. CBU held the visiting Cougars to just four total shots, none of which were on frame.,With most of the action taking place among the midfielders, both teams would get into their opponent's defensive zone, but couldn't quite get shots off. The first shot on goal didn't come until the 42nd minute, but CBU made it count.

Jasmine Stokes beat a defender at the corner of the 18-yard box to send a dangerous byline pass across the face of the goal to a wide open Lindsay Vesling. Keeping her composure, Vesling sent the ball on one touch into the back of the net to put CBU in front 1-0—ending another streak for the Cougars, 623:04 goal-less minutes.

"Jas did a great job keeping the ball in play, getting around a defender and delivering a great ball across the box," said St. Clair. "Lindsay has been key for us all year. She showed that again and was in the right place at the right time to knock it home."

With a whole other half left to play, CBU knew it couldn't get complacent with a 1-0 lead and kept pushing in the second half. Just a minute into the second frame, Justene Kesterson got a header on a cross, but was just slightly off target. Audrianna DeGraw gave the Lancers their only other shot on goal in the 54th minute, forcing the APU goalkeeper to make a save.

As the minutes wound down and desperation kicked in for APU, the Lancer defense—anchored by Courtney Shutts and Riley Phillips—held tight to their clean sheet and allowed just one Cougar shot in the second half, allowing CBU to walk away victorious 1-0.

"Our team has been working very hard on our defensive shape and being efficient on both sides of the ball," said St. Clair. "It's a credit to our players' hard work to be consistent, put on great ball pressure and maintain great defensive shape. To do that against a good APU squad, that's not easy to do. You don't see that often. We stayed tight and locked down."

The Lancers will rest up before their next game as they host Holy Names on Thursday at 3:00 p.m. Just three games remain for CBU to try to make its second-consecutive NCAA Division II Championship Tournament, hoping to be one of the top six teams of the final regional rankings to go to the postseason.

"The rest of our conference games are going to be tough, regardless of team records," said St. Clair. "We'll enjoy the result today, relax Sunday and go back to work Monday to prepare for Holy Names."