Box Score LA MIRADA, Calif. ---
Jessica Austin scored the eventual match-winner and assisted on a last-second insurance goal to lead Biola to a big 3-1 victory over No. 23 The Master's College to secure third place in the GSAC conference on Saturday afternoon.
The Eagles wrap up the regular season with a record of 10-6-1 and are 7-3-0 in GSAC play. Biola finishes the season in third place and earns the No. 3 seed in the upcoming GSAC Tournament. The Mustangs drop to 11-5-2 and to 6-4-0 in the conference.
Stephanie Cubias got Biola on the board first, netting the lone goal of the first half. Victoria Dalla Zanna fed a nice leading pass through the defense leading to a breakaway chance for Cubias. The senior--one of seven being honored at the final regular-season home match--beat the keeper with a quick shot to make it a 1-0 game in favor of Biola.
The match was pretty even after the first half with the teams each taking five shots and the respective goalkeepers each making a pair of saves.
In the second half, Biola extended the lead with a goal by Jessica Austin in the 58th minute. Michelle Clark sent a great cross from the right to the middle of the net where Austin one-touched it into the net to make it 2-0.
Biola fought off a frantic Master's team over the next 10 minutes, but conceded a goal in the 79th minute after a cross was mishandled by the Eagles' goalkeeper and pushed into the net by Jasmine Benson to close the gap to 2-1.
Biola continued to defend well and put the finishing touches on the game in the final second--literally. Austin broke free behind the Mustang defense and send a cross to Cameron Smith, who finished from 12 yards out with one second left on the clock to give Biola a 3-1 win.
Briana Williams earned the win, making five saves to improve to 8-4-1 and lowered her goals against average to 0.84.
The Eagles open the GSAC Tournament, hosting No. 6 seed Hope International University in an Opening Round match at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The other Opening Round match is between No. 4 The Master's and No. 5 Concordia in Santa Clarita at 2:00 p.m. The lowest remaining seed travels to face No. 1 Vanguard on Friday while the highest seed plays at No. 2 Westmont.
