Sjursen plays for APU one year earlier than planned, sees NAIA semifinal

Lauren Sjursen hadn’t planned to play collegiate soccer until 2010. An inquiry about that possibility led to a position on Azusa Pacific University’s 2009 women’s soccer team, and Sjursen not only participated on the field for APU but also traveled with the Cougars as they reached the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics semifinals.

“It was awesome, actually,” Sjursen said.

Sjursen graduated from Fallbrook High School in 2009 after three years on the Warriors’ varsity girls soccer team and a berth on the junior varsity squad as a ninth-grader. In July she contacted an APU assistan...