BOX SCORE

LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Biola gave No. 2 Vanguard all the two-time defending NAIA Champs could handle but ultimately fell three points short, falling 81-78 on Saturday night at Chase Gymnasium.

The Eagles drop to 4-3 and 0-2 in GSAC play while the Lions improve to 7-1 and 2-0 in conference action. 

Biola used a three-point barrage and a huge rebounding advantage of 50-29 to put a scare in Vanguard and nearly pull off the monumental upset. The Eagles even held a 10 point lead with just over four minutes to go, but in the end, 31 turnovers including seven in those final four minutes allowed the Lions to escape Chase with a victrory. 

Sophomore foward Jennifer French scored a team-high 17 points to lead five Biola players in double-figures while junior forward Jessilyn Conicelli had an impressive 18 rebounds to go along with 12 points.

The game got off to an interesting start as Biola's first seven field goals were made three-pointers. However, they weren't falling as fast as Vanguard's offense led throughout the first half by as many as nine points. The half closed in familar fashion for the Eagles, though as freshman guard Charrise Reece drained a three at the buzzer to pull Biola within six at 38-32.

In the second half, the Eagles came out firing again tying the game at 46-46 just four minutes into the half on a three-pointer by French. The two teams would go back and forth over the next 10 minutes with Biola maintaining a slight advantage. Leading 69-65 with 5:43 to play, Biola began to pull away, using a short 7-1 run over the next minute to go up by 10 at 76-66 with 4:39 left.

But things began to fall apart for the Eagles, who would turn the ball over on their next two possessions, leading to three straight baskets by the Lions to cut the lead to four at 76-72. The score would remain that way for the next three minutes until a pair of free throws by Vanguard's Molly Pfohl and a three-pointer by Diana Neves gave the visiting team a lead 77-76 lead with 1:04 left. 

Biola was not finished though as French came down and hit a jumper with 50 seconds to go to put BIola back on top at 78-77. However, on the next possession, Vanguard's Bridgette Reyes was fouled and hit a pair of free throws to give the Lions the lead back and the Eagles turned the ball over right away on their next possession. After a foul and a pair of free throws gave the Lions a three-point advantage with seven seconds left, the Eagles had a pair of chances to tie the game. But the first was blocked and the second rattled off as the horn sounded.

Senior Megann Alberts scored 13 points and had nine rebounds, all in the second half as she sat out the first half after collecting two quick fouls in the first four minutes of the game. Junior guard Chelsea De Luca scored 12 points on four three-pointers for the Eagles while Reese added 11 points and nine assists before fouling out late in the contest.

Neves led the way for Vanguard with 25 points, hitting 6-of-11 three point attempts in the game. Lauren Gregory added 17 points.

The Eagles return to action on Tuesday (Dec. 9), traveling to face Point Loma Nazarene in a GSAC contest at 7:00 p.m. in San Diego.