LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Biola had an up-and-down stretch of tennis over the course of its back-to-back home matches on Friday and Saturday. Win or loss, the Eagles demonstrated a relentless will to win and battled for each and every point in each match.
 
The Eagles played a combined six hours of tennis over the course of their matches with the University of the Southwest and Austin College in the two days. It was no doubt physically and mentally exhausting working to stay in each point by the conclusion of play on Saturday, but Biola's student-athletes needed to battle because Saturday's contest with Austin College was their closest match of the season.
 
Biola ends up with a 1-1 record on the weekend following a 7-2 victory over the Mustangs on Friday and a tough 5-4 defeat at the hands of the Roos.
 
"We are in the middle of the season, and our women's games are maturing," said Head Coach Dee Henry. "Our student-athletes are 'reading better,' so they see openings sooner."
 
Openings were very visible in Biola's big win over the University of the Southwest on Friday. The Eagles swept the doubles competition and then won all but No. 4 and No. 6 singles.
 
This outing gave the Eagles two consecutive match wins following their 0-7 start to the season.
 
Kathryn Ashford and Susan Carmichael continued their dominant individual seasons by getting wins in singles without allowing a single point to their opponents in either set.
 
"Kat was in charge from game one, and Susan moved her opponent well to force errors and hit winners," said Henry.
 
Ashford and Carmichael had four of Biola's five perfect sets on the day, and combined for a win in doubles in which they nearly blanked their opponents, winning 8-1.
 
The script was a little different in Saturday's matchup as the Eagles and Roos seemed to be evenly matched from the outset. The Eagles earned a 2-1 lead in the match following doubles play thanks to a pair of convincing wins at the No. 2 and No. 3 doubles pairings.
 
Ashford and Carmichael got their fourth consecutive win together to improve to 5-2 on the season, and Lauren Vogel and Kelsey Post matched that mark with their own victory.
 
Biola is now 14-16 at doubles this season, which seems to be the strength of the team. It is likely due to the Eagles' ability to complement each other's strengths well and work as a team.
 
"Susan sets up the ball and Kat puts it away, or Kat penetrates and finishes off at the net," said Henry. "We get great net play from both players at No. 3."
 
Biola's advantage seemed strengthened as the Eagles took two of the first four singles matchups, including No. 1 and No. 3, to take a 4-3 lead with two matches still on the court.
 
Tough two-set losses to Kate Willis and Aardra Venkatachalam at No. 4 and No. 5 sealed the come-from-behind win for Austin in the three hour and 30 minute match.
 
Biola falls to 2-9 on the season and has to face Principia (2-4) at home on Tuesday at 2 p.m. The teams have two common opponents this season. Both squads lost 7-2 to Cal Tech, but the Panthers lost 4-5 to Occidental while the Eagles defeated the Tigers 7-2.