Box Score COSTA MESA, Calif. --- If your season has to come to an end, there's no better (or worse) way for it to happen then how it came to be for Biola Men's Soccer on this sunny Saturday afternoon in Costa Mesa.
 
The Golden State Athletic Conference Tournament No. 6 seed Eagles and No. 3 seed Vanguard Lions battled through 110 minutes of 11-on-11 soccer to end in a 3-3 tie and force a penalty kick tiebreaker shootout. Unfortunately for Biola, the Vanguard keeper found a way to stop two BU shots and help lift the Lions to a 3-1 advantage in the shootout. The Lions advance to the second round of the tournament while Biola sees its season come to a close at 10-6-1.
 
The shootout is never a preferred way to watch a game come to an end and have a winner declared, but it is even less preferred when you turn out to be the losing team after being just over five minutes away from winning the game in regulation.
 
After allowing a Vanguard goal in the second minute of the game the Eagles answered right back in the fifth minute as Devin Leon, playing his first game in two weeks, drew a penalty in the box and then cashed in on the PK he was awarded.
 
Once they found the equalizer the Eagles settled back in defensively and kept a focus on keeping the Lions from jumping out to another lead. Biola's best opportunities from then on came on counter-attacks and set pieces as the Eagles spent a vast minority in possession of the ball.
 
One of those counter-attacks was finished cleanly by Leonardo Contreras in the 22^nd minute as he was fed a ball from Kousei Mattox with only the keeper to beat. When Leo only has the keeper to beat, he beats him 99 times out of a 100. He did just that to lift the Eagles to their first lead of the match.

"Leo was a man among boys. Although it was his last collegiate game, it was by far his best," said Head Coach Todd Elkins. "He was unstoppable. I've never seen a player keep the ball when so many players, good defenders, poking and prodding, pulling and kicking at him, to no avail."
 
That lead would hold through halftime as Igor Puglia and the Biola back line held strong through increased offensive pressure by the Lions. Puglia came up with  three saves and the defense had a blocked shot as VUSC really worked hard to come up with an equalizer of their own.
 
The closest they would come actually came just a minute after Contreras' goal as the Lions took a shot that was blocked and then corralled the rebound and took a one-time effort that forced a sprawling stop by the Eagles big Brazilian keeper.
 
The foot remained firmly on the gas pedal heading out of the break as Vanguard had a strong run just after the kick-off that was setting up to be a score but actually got called back as offside.
 
Their very next time in possession they took another shot that sailed just wide of the frame. Finally, the pressure forced a seam in the back line and a ball got headed onto the foot of Juan Arrellano who finished it for his second score of the game.
 
The game was then tied with 40 minutes left to play and all of the momentum at the feet of the Lions. Vanguard would outshoot Biola 11-2 in the second half as it tried to surge ahead for good.

"The stats of the game are deceptive," said Elkins. "They had the majority of the attacking possession but most of their shots were from distance and off target, shots our defense is willing to concede.  We created as many great chances as they did."
 
However, on its second shot of the period Biola would be the team that broke the tie. Biola did what it always does and filled a bunch of men in the box and Mattox was the one who found foot to ball and ball to back of net to put Biola ahead with just 10 minutes left to play.
 
"Kousei make a perfectly timed midfield overlap to get into the box and crush it far post side netting," said Elkins.

The elation and celebration would be short-lived as Vanguard found another goal just five minutes later to make it all even at three. It became the third consecutive three-goal game for a Biola opponent. This after the Eagles led the conference in goals against through the first 14 matches.
 
With the score knotted the two (exhausted) teams played two scoreless overtime periods to force the penalty kick shootout. Both teams' first kickers made their shots. Then both teams' second kickers got stopped by the keepers. Finally, shooters 3 and 4 for Vanguard scored to take the 3-1 win and earn the berth in the GSAC Tournament second round.
 
The game goes into the history books as a tie and the Eagles' season ends at 10-6-1.
 
It was the last match for Biola's seniors Daniel Martinez, Thomas Samayoa, True Tamplin, Devin Leon and Leonardo Contreras. We'd love to thank them for their contributions to the program.