LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Biola welcomed the return of its top player on Saturday afternoon, but even a win out of her at the No. 1 spot could not get the Eagles a win over Arizona Christian.
 
Biola fell just short, losing the match 5-4 to fall to 0-4 in the early going of the 2014 campaign.
 
Kathryn Ashford looked strong in her return to the courts, sweeping ACU's No. 1, Rafealla Zak Zak, in a quick 6-2, 6-1 victory. She and her doubles partner, Susan Carmichael, fell short though in a crucial doubles match that played a role in ACU's ability to squeak away with the one-point victory. That match was one of three on the afternoon that needed a tie-break to decide it.
 
One of the other tight ones fell in Biola's favor, as Olivia Koelsch and Madeline Heer nabbed a 9-8 win at the No. 1 doubles slot.
 
Biola took two of the three doubles matches, and looked very solid heading into singles competition. ACU took a 3-2 advantage right out of the gate, getting wins at No. 2 and No. 5 singles.
 
Ashford's gritty win at No. 1 knotted the match at three with just three contests left to play out.
 
Susan Carmichael got a three-set win in the No. 3 spot, but she was the last to finish and ACU already built a 5-3 advantage, so Biola dropped its fourth straight match to begin the season.
 
The win improves the Firestorm to 2-2 on the season, and 2-1 in Golden State Athletic Conference play.
 
"It was a tough match, but we learned a lot," said Head Coach Dee Henry.
 
Biola will take what it learned and put it into motion on Tuesday afternoon, when they continue their home stretch with a match against Vanguard.