LA JOLLA, Calif. -- Sam Layman scored in the 49th minute to cut a two-goal deficit in half, but the Sonoma State women's soccer team saw its 2016 season come to an end after Azusa Pacific piled on a late goal to win 3-1 in the First Round of the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championships in La Jolla. 

The 21st-ranked Seawolves, the No. 3 seed in the West Regional, ends the year with a 12-3-3 record while the unranked and No. 6 seed Cougars (12-3-4) knock SSU out of the NCAA tournament for the second straight year, advancing to the Second Round on Saturday against No. 2 seed and host UC San Diego.

It would be a scoreless affair until the 36th minute when Allison Hadidian attempted to clear a ball out of the box, but the ball ricocheted off of the back of Azusa's Stephanie Lossau and back into the net for a 1-0 APU lead.  Then, just five seconds before halftime, the Cougars' Kellie Yoshihara fired a shot from 25 yards out that snuck past Kristen Spear, who had just entered the game for Hadidian five minutes earlier, to put Azusa Pacific up 2-0 at halftime.

The Seawolves responded almost immediately in the second half when Cecilia Sifuentes dribbled down the left sideline before crossing a pass into Layman, who then buried her shot into the back of the net to bring SSU within one goal at 2-1 with 41 minutes and change to go in regulation.

However, the Cougars upped the pressure and eventually put the game away at 83:56 on a header by Kennedy Christie for the 3-1 final score.

Sonoma outshot Azusa, 14-13, including a 10-7 margin in the final 45 minutes of play.  Sara Van Wagoner attempted five of the 14 SSU shots, two of which were on frame.  Layman, Sarah Lindborg and Courtney Shoda each took two shots apiece.  Hadidian, who was replaced late in the first half by Spear and reentered at the start of the second, made four saves in her final collegiate game.