Box Score LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Defense was a concern entering this season as Biola lost three of its four regular defensive starters from 2013, but some new players and returners filled that void in a big way tonight, and as a result the No. 24 Eagles walked away with an impressive 5-2 victory over a strong Bethesda side.
 
"This game was very technical. They were a very sharp team, that was very confident on the ball," said Head Coach Todd Elkins. "We would pressure them and they would not feel or react to the pressure."
 
The fast, athletic and intense attacking third of Bethesda kept Biola's new defense with its hands full for most of the night, creating opportunities that may not have ended with shots or goals, but definitely showed they were here to compete.
 
Biola's defensive line kept enough pressure on the Flames to stifle the attack early and help Biola gain chances on the counterattack.
 
The first shot-on-goal of the game for Biola was a header by Joey O'Keefe that found the back of the net in the fifth minute and gave Biola an advantage. O'Keefe's score was keyed by a great long cross in from one of Biola's outstanding new defensive additions, Clayton Mohler.
 
Following the opening tally, the Flames turned up the heat on their attack and began fighting against Biola's pressure defense. Elkins knew that the pressure was the right way to go, because the added intensity on both defense and offense would eventually force Bethesda to crack.
 
He was right, and that crack turned into a gaping hole in the ninth minute, when Stephen Tanquary was able to win a one-on-one situation with the keeper by taking a rapid fire shot inside the box and then burying his own rebound past the sprawled out Flames keeper.
 
This was the final straw for Bethesda's head coach, who make a keeper change that was actually effective in holding down Biola's attack for the next 50 minutes.
 
In the meantime, the Flames' offense continued to make strides and find ways to get their speedy forwards into positions that would force fouls from Biola.
 
"They were composed when under pressure," said Elkins. "They were a team that could definitely intimidate you with their technical play."
 
That intimidating technical ability shown through most during Bethesda's set pieces. The Flames notched two goals off free kicks won from Biola fouls, and shortly after the halftime break had the match knotted at two.
 
This is when the Eagles had to light a fire under their attacking players and find a way to poke the ball through the holes left from Bethesda's streaky counterattacking.
 
The Eagles got an opportunity almost immediately following the Flames' game-tying effort and took full advantage of an out-of-place keeper. Freshman True Tamplin was able to get a rebound goal following a deflection and quick strike from a ball off the new keeper, Oscar Gomez.
 
Keaton Kerr was able to find a hole and make a break down the far wing almost immediately after that score and was able to sweep a pass right through the box and setup Stephen Tanquary for his second score of the evening.
 
Once Biola held this 4-2 advantage its team was able to slow the pace of play by just a bit, but its defensive nucleus never let up any of the pressure.
 
"As the game went on we had to continue bringing the pressure," said Elkins. "It was crucial that we did not panic and continued getting better, with confidence we would be able to setup more chances throughout the game."
 
The final successful chance of the game came with Sava Pantic giving Bethesda a slight taste of its own medicine. Biola won a foul in the 74^th minute at the top of the center of the box and the senior from Serbia buried the set piece in the back of the net by spinning the ball in the top left corner. It was a majestic attempt and fantastic way to round out the scoring.
 
The Eagles improve to 1-0 following tonight's effort and continues its preseason slate with a road match against Marymount (CA) at Long Beach City College on Thursday. Bethesda drops to 0-1 with the loss.