Box Score
LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Biola scored the first goal of the game in each of its first five matches this season, but has done that just once in its last five outings, and fell victim to a lack of a comeback again on Wednesday night, losing 2-1 to No. 25 Westmont.
 
Two of the Eagles' first three Golden State Athletic Conference matches began with Biola digging itself into a 2-0 hole. In their last match, the Eagles tied the match at two before losing in overtime, but tonight a Stephen Tanquary goal early in the second half got them halfway back, but they could never find a way to finish another.
 
"We've done this to ourselves these last two games, put ourselves in a hole," said Head Coach Todd Elkins. "We go down two goals and then somehow we find the license to start playing will reckless abandon and be aggressive and proactive."
 
That extra bit of effort in the second half is exemplified by the Eagles 14 shots in the second 45 minutes. They had two fewer shot attempts than Westmont in the first half, but an astounding 10 more in the second.
 
Two of those shots were nearly perfect scoring opportunities, except Biola's attackers needed the net to be just two inches wider as they found the post both times.
 
The first opportunity came at the 61-minute mark, when just 12 minutes after scoring his sixth goal of the season, Tanquary had another go at goal. His first shot came from inside the box, and it was saved by the Warriors' keeper, but Tanquary's second look off the deflection clanked the metal and was brushed aside by Westmont's defense.
 
It was one of Biola's talented young guns that had the next legitimate scoring chance. As time was winding down, True Tamplin received a throw in a found himself in a spot just feet away from the keeper with an open look. He powered one forward, but the shot was redirected off the keeper and found the near-side post. Jarrett Pugh had a fantastic chance from near the top of the box off the deflection, but Westmont's keeper, Josh Glover was there to make the save in the 82^nd minute.
 
"We created better chances tonight than we've had even in other games we have won, but we just couldn't figure it," said Elkins. "I feel like we put ourselves in position to tie the game, even win the game. I like that. I love that we are showing some great things in the second half."
 
Biola would get one more opportunity with a close header from Joey O'Keefe, but Glover was again in position to get the save, his eighth and final of the night.
 
O'Keefe and Tanquary combined for 12 shots, including five on goal, in a night where Biola seemed to have what it took to put the game away, but the normally consistent finishers simply didn't have it in them to find the back of the net on this night.
 
"I think in chasing the game there was some sense of lingering regret," said Elkins. "Part of scoring is believing, not doubting at all. I feel like there was one or two of those chances we weren't completely believing we were going to tuck that ball in."
 
The loss is Biola's fourth in its last five games, as it falls to 4-4-1 (1-2 GSAC), while the Warriors improved to 6-2-1 (3-0-1 GSAC) to hold onto first place.
 
Biola is back in action on Saturday when it hosts William Jessup at 7:00 p.m. The game times of both soccer matches on Saturday may be changing, so be sure to check back on athletics.biola.edu.