Box Score
LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Biola held a 23-12 shot advantage and seemed to pepper the Menlo goal the entire match, but was only able to score once as the teams played to a 1-1 draw in a non-conference match on Saturday afternoon.
The Eagles, ranked No. 19 in the latest NAIA National Coaches Poll, move to 5-1-1 while the Oaks finish the day at 2-3-1.
Biola got on the board first in the final minutes of the first half. The Eagles were awarded a free kick after a Menlo foul to the left of the goal about 25 yards out. Ruvalcaba took the kick and was able to beat the keeper with a hard shot to make it 1-0.
Menlo had its first chance to get on the board midway through the first half. In the 27th minute, a Biola foul just outside of the box gave the Oaks a free kick. Matheus Barbosa took the attempt, hitting a low shot just over the wall to the left. But Biola netminder Aaron Fenlason made an amazing diving save, coming all the way across the box to keep the score level at 0-0.
The Oaks were able to score the equalizer in the 64th minute. Menlo ran an perfectly executed set piece after a Biola foul with Daniel Crist sending a looping cross into the box where Barbosa headed it into the net from just in front of the near post.
Just seconds after the restart, Biola got a chance to go back on top as Ruvalcaba collected a loose ball and fired a shot from 15 yards out only to see Menlo goalkeeper Alex Palomarez make a great diving stop.
Biola had another crack at taking the lead in the 75th minute as Joao Toscan fired a point-blank shot at the Menlo net, but missed just high.
The Oaks controlled the first set of overtime and fired off four shots, putting one on frame. Biola answered back with four shots of their own in the second overtime, hitting the woodwork twice, but not finding the back of the net.
Fenlason made four saves in the match--one in each period--while Palomarez recorded seven saves.
Biola takes a week off before returning to action, traveling to Utah to face NCAA Division II Dixie State College in a non-conference match in St. George on Tuesday, September 27 at 7:00 p.m.
