Box Score
LA MIRADA, Calif. --- As it always is between these two schools it was a whale of a ball game at Al Barbour Field on Thursday night between CSU San Marcos and Biola Men's Soccer.
 
A flashy goal from Leo Contreras put Biola up early, but the Cougars got the equalizer a few minutes into the second half. Less than 10 minutes later Biola got the game-winner off the foot of Kousei Mattox, a freshman defender, leading to a 2-1 Biola victory.
 
Tonight was also a significant night because it marked the return of team captain Stephen Tanquary, who recorded 22 minutes off the bench in his first game of the season. The Eagles' other captain, Joey O'Keefe, sat out the evening leaving Biola's team looking and operating drastically different than it has to this point.
 
That hole left room for other guys to step up and produce in extra minutes on the pitch. Parker Setran put in 50 minutes off the bench at right back and put in a great performance winning challenges, drawing fouls and holding the CSUSM attackers throughout the most-pressured moments of the evening. Head Coach Todd Elkins also got strong efforts from Cristhian Aparicio, True Tamplin and Jarrett Pugh in extended roles.
 
"What we really needed tonight was just a good, full team effort," said Elkins. "We needed to work hard together defensively and attack hard together. It was a kind of grind this game out and do whatever it takes mentality tonight. I think we did that well."
 
Contreras' goal was perhaps the only part of the night that did not need the full team effort. The junior forward sliced and diced his way through, and around, three different defenders to get himself in open space with the ball with just the keeper to beat. He beat that keeper to the top right shelf to get the Eagles a lead 22 minutes into the first half. It was his third tally of the season and came unassisted.
 
After the goal CSUSM controlled possession and looked very dangerous throughout the remainder of the rest of the first half. Biola did well to defend against the pressure, with Marshall Deogracia sweeping away the Cougars' most dangerous attempt in the box to keep a clean sheet into halftime.
 
Nine minutes into the second frame CSUSM got on the board as a long throw in dribbled around in the box before ultimately getting to the end of a strike from Dustin Scibilia. His effort went past an outstretched JT Addington to even the score line.
 
"They did what they needed to do to get themselves back into the game," said Elkins. "That actually settled us down well as we recognized either team had a chance to win the game."
 
Biola seized the opportunity to win the game just eight minutes later, when after a few missed opportunities they capitalized off a corner kick opportunity.
 
A John Hanscom corner kick came into the box and setup a shot from Pugh. The keeper made the initial save, but Mattox was right there to push the rebound past the CSU San Marcos keeper.
 
It was Mattox's second goal of the year and of his Biola career. It was his first at home.
 
With the win, the Eagles improve their record against the Cougars to 2-2-3 over the past seven meetings. On the season Biola moves to 4-1 and CSU San Marcos drops to 1-1-1.
 
The Eagles return to action with an alumni game at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday followed by a matchup with NCAA Division II Dixie State at 7:00 p.m.