Azusa Pacific in Soccer Title Game

The undefeated Azusa Pacific’s women’s soccer team, ranked No. 2 in the NAIA, overcame No. 1 Mobile of Alabama, 3-1 on penalty kicks, Friday at Mobile to advance to the national championship game.

Mobile, the defending national champion, had been the NAIA’s only other unbeaten team. Azusa (24-0-0) will play No. 4 Simon Fraser of British Columbia (15-3-2) at noon today for the title.

Azusa and Mobile were tied after regulation play, 1-1. Mobile (22-1-0) took a 1-0 lead in penalty kicks, but Lisa Lawrence tied it for the Cougars. Then Azusa goalkeeper Rachel Yanos made the play of the game, diving to her right to stop a penalty kick by Mobile’s Courtney Miles and preserve a 1-1 tie.

“I was watching her approach to the ball, which way she going,” Yanos said. “That’s how I read her.”

Azusa’s Janay Duran scored to make it 2-1. Mobile’s Carmie Landeen missed to the right, and Jennifer Babel’s goal clinched it for Azusa, 3-1.

In regulation, Azusa took a 1-0 lead in the 75th minute when Andrea Alfiler came up with a loose ball in the Mobile box and scored. Mobile tied it 2:06 later when Jackie Law got a loose ball in front of the Cougar net and put it by Yanos.