YUMA, Ariz. - On Tuesday night, the #2 nationally ranked Arizona Western women's soccer team played their first home game at Matador Field since September 13th. That was 31 days ago and a home win versus nationally ranked Eastern Arizona. The Lady Matadors returned to face ACCAC foe Cochise College who came to the Arizona Western College campus sporting a 2-1-2 record over their past five games. The first half was scoreless until the 29th when Kei Yoneda found the back of the net with the assist going to Linka Ono. The team captain connection resulted in Yoneda's first goal of the season and Ono's fifth helper. Arizona Western took a 2-0 lead into the half after Kiana Knudson scored her fourth goal of the season at the 40-minute mark. 

"They adjusted very well to us in the first half," Arizona Western Head Coach Victor Verdugo said. "We had a couple of our players step up and it opened up the game. For us it's exciting to see that we can depend on different players."

One of those players is freshman Kiana Knudson who collected her first collegiate brace in the contest, notching her second goal of the game at the 51st minute mark with the assist awarded to Fernanda Quiroz (6). Kanon Ozaki scored her team leading ninth goal of the season during the 81st minute with the helper going to Asa Yamazaki (6). Reina Kasano netted her sixth goal of the season unassisted in the 83rd minute to give Arizona Western a 5-0 lead which they would take to the final buzzer. 

"We made some changes at the half, one being we brought in one of our experienced centerbacks," Verdugo said. "Shifted out one of our centerbacks to an outside back and for them [Cochise College] they weren't able to adjust. At the end of the day, the quality of our players, just player by player, is just a little bit more dynamic and they just weren't able to adjust to the quality our players have."

For the Lady Matadors, they now have the comfort of another win over a conference opponent and the added comfort of being able to stay home a little longer. Arizona Western will next host the College of Southern Nevada on Saturday. 

"For us I think that's the expectation when we are playing here," Verdugo said. "Our field is one of the best venues across the country. Our field is just tremendous going into the playoffs."

Verdugo added on the importance of the Lady Matadors home field advantage. 

"It's always important for us to come home and like I told the girls, no one should come in here expecting to get nothing from us," Verdugo said. "It's another plus three and important that we will host the playoffs here and make it a very typical place to come and compete against us. To keep teams that when they get off the bus, they are already losing 1-0 because they know, the kind of place they are coming to hear at Arizona Western College."

After Saturday's home match versus the College of Southern Nevada, the Lady Matadors will gtravel to Mohave College on Tuesday, October 21st, then end the regular season at home on Friday, October 24th, against Mohave College, which is also sophomore night.