APU came out swinging this week.
Even with nine separate events this week, Azusa Pacific University didn’t take many losses. Some of the best action came from the women’s volleyball team, who went 4-0 this weekend. Our “low” was a hard-fought match in men’s soccer that resulted in a tie. When our worst result of the week is a draw, you know the Cougars came in clutch. Here’s a brief recap of what happened last week in APU Athletics.
Women’s volleyball
September 9 – W, 3-0 vs Northwest Nazarene
The women’s volleyball season continued with a dominant sweep against Northwest Nazarene, and they did it in our very own Felix Event Center. Not only did the Cougars win all three sets, but they did it in style. After a 25-23 win in the first set, APU hit their stride, shutting down the Nighthawks with a score of 25-15 in the second set and 25-14 in the match’s final set. Junior Katarina Radisic had a whopping 15 kills, while Abby Hills, Mina Andjelkovic and Annaka Jorgenson landed the only three aces of the match. Radisic had a total of 12 digs, second on the team only to graduate student Bailey Henington, with 27.
September 9 – W, 3-0 vs Stanislaus State
The Cougars had yet another sweep during the SoCal Freeway Challenge against Stanislaus State. Once again, Jorgenson was a standout, tallying 12 total kills in the match. The sophomore was aided by fellow sophomore Kyra Palmbush, who racked up 11 kills and 7 blocks, the latter being the most blocks out of anyone on the court. Despite being on the road, the Cougars kicked the match off with a commanding 25-20 win in the first set. They rode the momentum in the second and third sets, closing the match with scores of 25-16 and 25-21, respectively.
September 10 – W, 3-1 vs Cal State San Marcos
The Cougars once again hit the road for the SoCal Freeway Challenge and headed to Pomona, where they faced Cal State San Marcos. Despite the San Marcos mascot also being the Cougar, it was APU’s Cougars who showed out, as our athletes hit match highs in almost every category. Radisic had an astounding 19 kills, while sophomore Delaney Dunham added 5 blocks to the table. Bailey Henington not only provided 4 aces, but also 29 digs, both of which were the most out of anyone in the match. Despite a 25-16 loss in the first set, APU bounced back to win the second, third and fourth sets, proving their strength both as individuals and as a team.
September 11 – W, 3-1 vs Westminster UT
After two matches on the road, the Cougars returned to the Felix Event Center to face off against the Westminster Utah Griffins. APU quickly went back to what they did best, winning the first set 25-20 and the second set 25-12. The third set, however, was a Westminster victory with a score of 25-23. The fourth set ended all hopes Westminster had of winning, as APU shut them down with a 25-11 win, putting the Cougars’ record up to 4-3. Radisic had a match high of 11 digs, and while no Cougars landed any blocks in this match, it wasn’t necessary for them to win.
Women’s soccer
September 9 – W, 3-2 vs Cal Poly Pomona
Things started off with a bang on the APU soccer field, as senior forward Randi Macadangdang scored the match’s first goal just one minute and 37 seconds in. The Broncos, however, were not going to just sit and take it, as Cal Poly Pomona players Taylor Scott and Emma Barrow fired the ball past APU goalie Hara Bella to take a 2-1 lead. With the clock ticking on the first half, senior Maddy Morrison scored in the 24th minute to tie the game. The second half proved to be intense, with Bella saving three more shots and sophomore Katie Prado receiving one of two yellow cards dealt in the half. In the end, it was Maddy Morrison who scored her second goal of the match in the 66th minute, edging out the Broncos and giving the Cougars a 3-2 victory.
September 11 – W, 2-0 vs Cal State San Bernardino
The Cougars headed to San Bernardino to show Cal State San Bernardino’s Coyotes who the real predators were. The team had a near-flawless match, with Hara Bella saving the only on-target shot the Coyotes made the entire match. Goals from Macadandang and sophomore Bethany Tee clinched the victory for the Cougars, bringing their record to 3-1.
Men’s soccer
September 10 – Tie, 0-0 vs Cal State Los Angeles
The Cougars went to L.A. to defeat the Golden Eagles in their hometown, only to face a grueling 110 minute match. Despite putting up 10 shots in regulation time, the Cougars were unable to connect with the goal. The Golden Eagles also struggled in this area, only putting up five shots in regulation time. Ultimately, the 90 minutes ended with a 0-0 score, sending the game into overtime. Despite attempts on the goal in OT from David Kwinn, Marco Astorga, Gregoire Diep, Orlando Lozano and Fritz Oestreicher, the Cougars once again came up empty-handed. The result was a 0-0 tie at the end of overtime, and with penalty kicks out of the question at the moment, the Cougars now hold a 2-0-1 record.
Men’s cross country
September 10 – 3rd Place at Biola Invitational
At the Ted Craig Regional Park, the Cougars got ready for their 8000 meter cross country invitational, where the men’s team made the podium with 81 points, clinching them third place overall. Junior Nixon Korir led the pack of Cougars, placing 6th overall with a time of 25:06.8. Despite strong efforts from Dider Sandoval (25:41.1), Marcus Dawal (25.47.8) and Michael Schneider (25.52.6), the points were not enough, as the runners finished 17th, 20th and 23rd, respectively. Freshman Riley Burns rounded out APU’s top five in 25th place with a time of 25.57.7. Biola University won the invitational with a score of 45 points.
Women’s cross country
September 10 – 4th Place at Biola Invitational
The Cougars just missed out on a spot on the podium at the Ted Craig National Park, where the women competed in the 5000 meter run. While Mikayla Akers (7th, 18:15.8) and Justine Stecko (10th, 18:22.2) cracked the top 10, the gaps between them and the rest of the Cougars’ top five was too large for APU to place as a team. With Kristilyn Hetherington (36th, 19:47.0), Olivia Segura (54th, 20:12.6) and Molly Hake (55th, 20:15.2) rounding out the top five, their score of 135 wasn’t enough to crack the top three overall teams.