AZUSA, Calif. – The momentum was in Academy of Art women's soccer's favor in the first half of Thursday's match against Azusa Pacific after the Urban Knights took an early, 1-0 lead. However, APU's inexorable offense pulled ahead in the second half and did not look back, eventually taking the match by the score of 5-1.
 
The Urban Knights and Cougars struggled for possession-time in what turned out to be a back-and-forth first half. Despite an early corner kick being awarded to Azusa Pacific, ART U's back line denied the subsequent shot. The Knights returned the favor just two minutes later however, when they posted back-to-back corners, but neither attempt found their mark. It was not until the 23rd-minute when senior midfielder Abigail Chavez was able to give Academy of Art a 1-0 advantage. After the Knights received a foul in the goalie box, Chavez managed to nail the penalty kick which followed for her third goal of the season. The score was her second in two games and third overall in 2017 (second from a PK). Now trailing 1-0, APU's offense began to kick into gear: in the remaining 22 minutes, the Cougars rattled off seven shots, eventually finding an equalizer in the 42nd-minute.
 
In the second half, Azusa Pacific continued to land a barrage of unrelenting shots and their offense eventually broke through in the 54th-minute when Katelyn Rogers scored off of a throw in deep in their attacking third. The Cougars added three more goals on the night in the 70th, 74th, and 76th-minutes while Rogers and Christie Kennedy each scored twice.
 
Making her sixth start of the season, junior goalkeeper Morgan Wirz was steady in front of the net in the first half, making several impressive saves, eventually finishing the game with three overall. Beyond the goal, Chavez contributed three of ART U's five shots while both freshman midfielder Sydney Cooke and junior forward Dani Tellez took one shot each. With the loss, Academy of Art falls to 1-12-1 overall and 1-8 in the PacWest.
 
The Urban Knights will play one more match in southern California before returning home: on Saturday, ART U will take on first-place California Baptist University who is also ranked No 5 in the West Region. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m.