AZUSA, Calif. – The FPU women's basketball team (4-10 overall, 0-8 PacWest) kicked off a three-game road trip on Thursday starting with the defending PacWest champions Azusa Pacific (11-3 overall, 6-1 PacWest), falling 67-62 in a hard-fought matchup where the Sunbirds kept the Cougars within reach until the final buzzer.
 
"I thought we played a really competitive game against one of the best teams in the country. If a handful of plays in that second half go our way, it's a different story," head coach Tim Beauregard said. "I'm incredibly proud of the improvement my team keeps making and their togetherness on a daily basis through these first few challenging weeks of conference. We feel like the level we are playing right now will reward us in the very near future as long as we stay tight and play hard."
 
After over two minutes of scoreless basketball, the Cougars broke the stalemate after a pair of free throws, which was quickly erased thanks to a 3-pointer from Joleen Corona on her first shot of the game.
 
The Sunbirds led for most of the quarter after a pair of free throws from Bre Hurt and a layup from Felicia Dourva made it 7-4 with just over five minutes to go, but the Cougars were able to battle back, retaking the lead with 3:53 to go.
 
That sparked an 8-0 run from APU that put them up 12-7 with just over three minutes remaining, but a free throw from Sara Lundqvist and another 3-pointer from Corona cut it to just one point before APU took control and had a 20-13 lead after the first quarter.
 
The second quarter belonged to the Sunbirds who outscored the Cougars 19-13 before the break. The two teams traded buckets, but a 6-0 run from FPU that started with a layup from Maesyn Rix and was capped off by a Corona jumper made it 27-26 with 3:52 remaining in the first half.
 
A jumper from the Cougars halted the run for a moment before Lydia Manu knocked one down to keep the deficit at just one point with just under two minutes to go. The Sunbirds were able to take the lead with 1:25 left after Hurt knocked down a jumper, but APU answered on their next possession and stretched the lead to three with 26 seconds to go.
 
Another bucket from Hurt put the Sunbirds down 33-32 with 13 seconds to go, and the teams took that score into the locker room at halftime.
 
The Cougars came out hot to start the second half, scoring five quick points to take a 6-0 lead early in the third quarter, but Corona was able to make her third 3-pointer of the game to make it 38-35 just over two minutes into the period.
 
That sparked a 13-2 run from APU, who took control with a 51-37 lead with just over three minutes remaining in the quarter. Rix made a layup to make it 51-39, which started a 9-2 run for FPU that was capped off by a layup from Jenna Kurz to make it 53-46 with 1:20 left in the quarter, and the teams would take that score into the final 10 minutes.
 
The Cougars scored quickly to start the final period to extend their lead to nine, but a converted and-one from Anisa Rillo, followed by a pair of free throws from Rachel Berry quickly cut that lead to just four points with 8:53 left in the contest.
 
The two teams traded buckets for the next four minutes before an 8-0 run from APU made it 67-55 with 1:39 left to go.
 
The Sunbirds were able to finish the game on a 7-0 run, capped off by a 3-pointer from Corona with 11 seconds left, but it was too little, too late for FPU, and the Cougars were able to hang on for the five-point win.
 
"We will continue to chase the best version of ourselves every day. Tonight's effort duplicated with a few improvements will get us where we desire to be," Beauregard added. "I'm proud of my team, as always, and there's not a flinch to be seen in our circle."
 
Dourva led the way for the Sunbirds, scoring a team-high 16 points along with five rebounds. Corona had her best scoring game of the season with 13 points on 3-of-5 shooting from behind the arc and had five rebounds.
 
Hurt came close to a double-double, posting eight points and seven rebounds.
 
The Sunbirds will continue their road trip with a matchup at Biola on Saturday. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
 
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