Box Score LA MIRADA, Calif --- Everything has been all about threes through the first week of the women's soccer season. First, the team was chosen to finish third in the Golden State Athletic Conference. Second, if they finish third it would be the third straight year they placed there. Third, and perhaps most importantly, they put up three goals in their season-opener versus Northwest.
 
It was the season-opener for both squads as they took the field on Wednesday night. Northwest behind its brand new coach Vallan Said and Biola behind its very familiar head coach, Todd Elkins.
 
Elkins' squads are known for being very focused on a possession-focused style of play and tonight's game was no different as the team dominated possession throughout the first half.
 
The team handled the ball so well they were able to get off five shots in the first 10 minutes. The barrage of shots did not cease either, as Biola ended the match with 29 shots, including 15 on goal.
 
The consistent attempts were padding the stat sheet for Northwest goalkeeper Patty Hughes until Victoria Dalla Zanna broke the ice 23:56 in with a goal on a penalty kick.
 
This was the first goal of the year for the Eagles and the seventh of Dalla Zanna's career.
 
Marina Rodriguez got the start in goal for Biola, but she did not have to work much in the first 45 minutes, only facing four shots.
 
Goalkeeping and defense remained solid for the rest of the first half as Biola entered the locker room up 1-0.
 
Possession was a little more even in the second frame, as Northwest came out eager to knot up the score. After going 56 minutes with just four shots, Northwest was able to get two shots off in a period of less than a minute and the second one found the back of the net.
 
Tatyana Reveles scored the tying goal for Northwest off of a shot from 20 feet away after intercepting a goal kick from Rodriguez.
 
The intensity rose on both sides after the equalizer, and the intensity eventually got the better of Amanda Otto and Micah Wenzel who both received yellow card cautions after an incident 73:08 into the game.
 
The yellow card seemed to give Biola some new momentum as they tightened down on defense and their defenders started to create some more opportunities off of Northwest turnovers.
 
"They are more than just our defenders," said Head Coach Todd Elkins. "They are the beginning of our offense."
 
Michelle Clark, Morgan Aukshunas and Michelle Andre anchored the back line for Biola as they have been together over the last four years. Each of them spent a large amount of the game with the ball at their foot.
 
Taylor Venegas, a freshman forward, was subbed in early in the first half and seemed to be looking to make a difference every time the ball came her way. She is one of the players who seemed to be constantly eyeing a chance to score a goal. At 77:28, she did.
 
Venegas buried the go-ahead-goal off of a lead pass from Miranda Starbeck. This burst of offense was all Biola needed to finish the tired Northwest squad, but it was not all they got.
 
Just 11 minutes after Venegas' go-ahead-goal, and with the game already in hand, Chrissy King buried her first goal of the season. King connected on a breakaway goal from almost midfield. King had been looking to score all day and she got what she wanted on her seventh shot of the game.
 
Biola ended up with a 3-1 victory and Marina Rodriguez picked up her first win of the season, picking up four saves in the process.
 
Northwest finished with zero offsides and one corner kick opportunity and Biola ended with two offsides and five corners.
 
After a scrimmage against CSU Los Angeles on Saturday, Biola travels to Helena, Mont. to take on the College of Idaho on Aug. 31.