Box Score MERCED, Calif. --- It was the same story but a different script on Wednesday afternoon as Biola Men's Soccer lost another game in heartbreaking fashion at UC Merced.
 
Biola had a distinct advantage in just about every category of play in the afternoon contest that ended up going to overtime, but a well-timed UC Merced header slammed the door in the face of Head Coach Todd Elkins' team to leave the Eagles looking at a 1-2 disadvantage.
 
After one mistimed run early on led to an offside call, Leo Contreras figured out his pace in the 11^th minute to score the first goal of the game on the first shot of the game.
 
The junior forward made the most of a pass in from John Hanscom to put the Eagles on top 1-0 less than a quarter of the way into play and record his fourth goal of the season.
 
After a handful more Biola chances UC Merced found the back of the net on their first shot of the afternoon in the 23^rd minute. Xavier Juarez was credited with his first tally of the season off a pass from Luis Martinez-Stucchi.
 
Following that equalizer Biola went back to looking like the class on the field getting chance after chance generated by Contreras and his partners up front. Even Kousei Mattox slithered his way up the field to get a quality chance on goal that was swept away by the Bobcats' keeper.
 
At the half the score stayed tied in the goal column, but Biola had the distinct advantage in every other facet of the game as the Eagles' stout back line held the Bobcats without any other shots aside from their lone tally.
 
The Bobcats got two early shots, one of them going on goal, in the second half before the Eagles again took full control of possession and scoring chances for the remainder of the tilt.
 
Biola saw two of hits shots hit the crossbar as it struggled to find the back of the net with a goal that would give them the lead their play warranted.
 
Outside of the crossbar chances, the Eagles had another good opportunity when Kousei Mattox had a go at goal off a John Hanscom corner kick. The second-half keeper managed to get in front of it to keep things level with less than 20 minutes left in regulation.
 
Biola was not the only side to have a legitimate scoring attempt as the game winded down. One late Bobcats chance ricocheted off the post to keep the score 1-1 as these two schools followed suit of the women's game and had a game go into overtime for the second time on the afternoon.
The Eagles still seemed to have their destiny in their own hands in the opening minute or two of overtime as they possessed the ball in their offensive third and Jarrett Pugh was able to get off the first shot of the extra period.
 
However, Derick Zamora's header stymied Biola's monumental effort in the 93^rd minute when it gave the Bobcats the sudden-death victory and dropped Biola to 4-3 on the season. UC Merced improved to 4-1-1.
 
Biola Men's Soccer is back in action on Tuesday Sept. 22 when it opens Golden State Athletic Conference play on the road at Menlo.