Number one in the nation, the Cougars squeaked by with a win on Saturday
On Saturday, Azusa Pacific Men’s soccer notched their 11th straight victory. With just one goal being enough to put them over the top, the Cougars scraped by with a 1-0. However, they will need a stronger offense to keep winning.
On their recent road trip, the Cougars scored 16 goals in six games, including dominant second-half play, with 11 of their 16 goals following halftime during the road trip.
One thing APU has definitely had going for them this season, a big reason why they are number one in the nation, is the ability to play at a much faster pace than most teams can handle. Whether that be through ball movement or just simple foot-speed, this Cougars team has been dominant because of its pace of play.
In this contest against the Concordia, surprisingly, the Eagles stuck with them throughout the first half. The Cougars still outshot the Concordia but they just weren’t getting the ball on net.
“I don’t think we need to change anything but I just think that we need to finish on the chances that we do get,” said head coach David Blomquist. “I felt like we created a lot of really great chances and it was frustrating not to score on some of them.”
Going into the second half, the Cougars were tied 0-0, after a very competitive first half. The game didn’t remain tied for long, as senior Arturo Astorga found the bacon a beautiful fake where he got the defender to take the bait as he fired the ball into the back of the net.
“I got the ball at the top of the box and just hesitated a little bit and then took the shot,” said Astorga on his game-winning goal.
There was some frustration for the team but the tune being played on the bench was stay positive.
“It was definitely frustrating for the forwards but the entire team helped us to remain composed. We know it’s going to come so we just have to stay positive,” said Astorga.
That one goal would be all that was needed to grab the win in this one. Beyond the goal, the defensive play for the Cougars was flawless as usual. Beyond this game, the Cougars haven’t allowed a goal in the past 450 minutes of soccer. This incredible feat isn’t attributed to any one person, rather the team as a whole
“I think its a combination. Everybody on our back four and work rate of our front group to get back defensively has been great,” said head coach Blomquist.
The Cougars have incredible team chemistry overall, one of the best attributes any team in any sport can have. The group is truly meshing together, a huge part of why the Cougars are still undefeated season.
“It’s our chemistry. We’ve been working really hard and we have this feeling of family on the team,” said junior Orlando Lozano. “We always have each other’s back and we never give up. That is one of the main keys to our team right now.”
The Cougars next contest is against Hawai’i Pacific on Saturday, Oct. 26 at the Cougar Soccer Complex.