SAN RAFAEL, Calif.—Dominican men's soccer matched up against the No. 1 team in the nation, Azusa Pacific University, Saturday afternoon at Kennelly Field in the 2019 regular season finale. The Cougars proved their title, defeating the Penguins 5-0, heading into the postseason with a perfect record. 
 
Azusa Pacific (18-0, 10-0 PacWest) was led by Arturo Astorga who finished the game with two goals and an assist. The other goal scorers were James Ndubueze, who also accounted for an assist, Orlando Lozano and Victor Ramos. Cougar goalkeeper Brendan Fix held the Penguins (9-8-1, 7-4 PacWest) scoreless throughout 90 minutes of action, tallying five saves on the day. APU created the pace of play early in the match, as the Cougar's defense held the Penguins to just five shots on goal.
 
The Cougars made their first mark of the game four minutes into the first half as Renan Gomes sent a chip shot to Astorga at the top of the box and Astorga put one in the back of the net to give APU the 1-0 lead.
 
The Penguins struggled to break through APU's defensive front until the 18^th minute when Arturo Carrillo Contreras found an opportunity to rifle Dominican's first shooting attempt of the game. Carrillo Contreras took his defender down the left sideline and curved a right-footed shot around the near post, but Fix was there to deflect the attempt. 
 
The Cougars quickly silenced the Penguins' offensive attack when Ndubueze sent a right-footed cross from the left sideline, to lead Ramos into a 1 v. 1 with Ruben Raygoza. Raygoza rushed Ramos to defend the low shot, and Ramos chipped it over the head of Raygoza to extend the Cougar's lead to 2-0. 
 
Fifty-eight seconds later, APU was right back in Penguin territory, as Astorga found Ndubueze streaking toward the left corner of the box, and Ndubueze buried the shot to quickly make it a 3-0 game. 
 
The Cougars carried their offensive dominance into the second half, and in the 47^th minute, APU added another goal as Romio Sislian snuck a pass to Lozano cutting into the box from midfield, and Lozano found the back of the net to extend Azusa Pacific's lead to 4-0. 
 
In the 56^th minute, the Penguins started to break through Azusa's defense and attack the box, leading to shot attempts from Carrillo Contreras and Brendan Adame, but neither could slip one past Fix.
 
Azusa Pacific retaliated in the 79^th minute as Astorga added his second goal to help the Cougars to a 5-0 lead, but the Penguins refused to let up. In the 86^th minute, a pass ahead to Raley set him up with a 1 v. 1 with Fix. Fix slid into Raley's feet to deny the low liner, and Raley countered the attack with an attempted chip over Fix. But Fix made the crucial save with one hand to sustain the shut out.