Box Score SAN MARCOS, Calif. --- It doesn't matter how much you win by; all that matters is that you win. It was an interesting, and extended, afternoon in San Marcos as No. 11 Biola defeated CSU San Marcos 1-0 off an overtime own goal committed by the Cougars.
 
After 91 minutes of back-and-forth it was a misguided header from a CSUSM player inside of the box following a Hernan Sotelo throw-in that made the slim difference in this matchup. Devin Leon got his head (and hair) near the deflection of the ball, but the official scorer crdited it as the own goal.
 
The result is a win for the Eagles to help them improve to 3-1 on the season, which the host team drops to a disappointing 0-2 in the early going.
 
While neither team took control of the score line for first 90 minutes of play, it was clear that Biola was the better team on the pitch because of its control of possession and slim advantage in scoring chances. No team could score in regulation though, as both teams saw a lot of shots miss the frame of the goal and combined for just five shots-on-goal in the first two halves.
 
It was a physical start to the game as both teams saw some players go down with injuries and a combined 25 fouls were called during regulation. Ten more fouls were called than shots taken during play in regulation. The teams duked it out in the midfield for a majority of the time.
 
The CSU San Marcos keeper came up with three saves to help ensure the game went to overtime. The Eagles' best chances of the game came off the foot of Jarrett Pugh and True Tamplin. Pugh took two shots prior to the overtime period. Both of them forced Justin Tesar to come up with stops to keep the nil-nil tie.
 
The Cougars only had five shots in regulation with two of them forcing Igor Puglia to come up with saves. CSUSM's last shot of regulation came in the 59^th minute as the BU defense tightened up to keep the ball primarily in the Eagles' attacking half.
 
Biola has managed just four goals during its first four matches of the new year, but regardless it has managed to win three of those four ball games. Fortunately for the Eagles, they have not needed a whole lot of scoring, because Puglia and his defense have managed to keep clean sheets in each of the last three times out.

Two of its first four matches have been settled in overtime. This is a far cry from the dominance of 2015 when the team played just three overtime matches through its 21 matches.
 
The Eagles return to Al Barbour Field on Wednesday for the first of its six consecutive home matches. Biola hosts Antelope Valley for a 7:00 p.m. match under the lights.