Box Score ORANGE BEACH, Ala. --- This 2015 Biola Women's Soccer season was a remarkable ride, but the train pulled up for its last stop in the station following the No. 13 Eagles' 1-2 loss against No. 3 Mobile on Monday evening at the NAIA National Championship Tournament.
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The Eagles' season comes to rest with a 15-4-3 overall mark, a shared Golden State Athletic Conference title and the recognition as just the second Biola Women's Soccer team ever to make it to the NAIA National Championship. The 15 wins is the most for the program in a single season since the 2004 team won 16.
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Biola dominated the first half of the game as the Rams were incredibly slow to get going offensively. Aside from a chance on a free kick just outside the box and one good run Biola's midfield was able to stymie any chance Mobile had to push the ball forward and threaten.
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The Eagles controlled the pace and possession of the game through the entire first half, but simply could not find the twine as each of the team's six first half shots did not find pay dirt.
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Mobile, the higher-ranked team, came out firing on all cylinders in the second half as it looked a whole lot more like the No. 3 team in the country than it did through the first 45 minutes.
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The Rams got the scoring opened in the 67
th minute when their second-leading scorer, Cayla Hebert, slid into a loose ball in the box and was able to nestle it into the back left corner of the goal past a sprawling
Marina Rodriguez.
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The goal was disheartening for this Biola team that entered the second half with so much confidence before quickly being forced to play back on its heels through the first 20-plus minutes of the second frame.
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Once Mobile got on the board the field began to tilt a bit more towards even as both teams were locked in a battle in the midfield. Biola continued to struggle to find its forwards with clean passes despite having more time on possession.
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The next time the Rams were inside of the penalty area they again took advantage of it as Tyler-Rae Molloy beat the back line and buried a laser toward the far post. This goal would end up being the game-winner as the junior punched Mobile's ticket to the quarterfinals.
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Things were looking bleak as the minutes continued to come off the scoreboard and Biola still saw a big round zero on its side. The tension was undeniable as it would've been such a shame to see this team end its season getting shutout.
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Madyson Brown made sure that didn't happen as she got her head on the end of a
Taylor Venegas cross into the box to get Biola on the board in the 87
th minute. The goal was Brown's first of the season and it doused a bit more gasoline on the Eagles' fire as the game tightened to just one score with three minutes left.
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Biola had one more chance after Brown's goal, but an offside run ended the threat inside the final minute and sent the team to Waffle House to celebrate a very successful season.
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Tonight was the final game in red and white for seniors
Adeline Saldana,
Brittney Sayre,
Marina Rodriguez and
Amanda Johnson. Also, watching from home was beloved senior captain,
Amanda Otto.
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