AZUSA, Calif. -- Academy of Art rose to the challenge of facing No. 14 Azusa Pacific Saturday evening at the Cougar Soccer Complex. The Urban Knights played the 12-1-1 conference leader even for 74 minutes until the lone Cougar goal landed and held up for a 1-0 final.
"We made a commitment to defending as a team," said coach
Matt Martin. "We won a lot of battles tonight against the best team we've played all year."
ART U shut down the second highest scoring offense in the PacWest and both teams were scoreless at the half. The opening period saw Sophomore
Kris Jensson make three saves while senior midfielder
Isiah Quiros collected the only two shots for the Knights.
Academy of Art continued their defensive hold into the second half but the Cougars broke through in the 74th minute when Callum Wallace netted his first goal of the season and put APU ahead 1-0.
ART U's best opportunity to even the score came in the 85th minute when junior midfielder
Adrian Cekala was fouled just outside the box. Cekala was awarded a free kick and took a shot on goal that missed just wide left. Â
Academy of Art had one last opportunity on a corner kick in the 90th minute that connected for a Knight's header, but the ball sailed just over the top crossbar to finalize the 1-0 score.
The 1-0 game marks the first time the Cougars have been held to less than one goal in 2018 PacWest play, and is only the third time APU has scored less than two goals all season.
With the loss ART U drops to 2-10-2 overall and 1-5-1 in conference. The Urban Knights will continue their road-trip Monday, Oct. 22 versus Concordia in Irvine, California.
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