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pml
0
TIU TIU (14-7-1)
2
Winner BU-WS BU-WS (15-3-2)
TIU TIU
(14-7-1)
0
Final
2
BU-WS BU-WS
(15-3-2)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
TIU TIU 0 0 0
BU-WS BU-WS 2 0 2

Game Recap: Women's Soccer | | Brandon Taylor, Assistant Sports Information Director

Biola Brings First-Half Firepower

Biola converts on two first-half scoring chances and controls possession in victory over Trinity International.

KISSIMMEE, Fla. --- The Eagles controlled the majority of their final match in pool play on Wednesday and scored two first-half goals to defeat No. 4 Trinity International, 2-0. With the win Biola comes out on top of pool C and advances to the semifinals of the NCCAA Women's Soccer Championships.

Wednesday's shutout extends Biola's streak of clean sheets to six-straight matches. The Eagles limited Trinity International to six shots in the match and did not allow the Trojans any chances until the 34th minute.

The Eagles had already manufactured a two-goal lead by that point in the match. Five shots and two cornerkicks in the opening moments culminated in a Paula-Marie Labate goal at 23:51 that only kept Biola's momentum going.

Labate buried a magnificent through-ball from Hali Oakes that sliced through the Trojans' defenses and set up Labate for an open shot at the left corner of the six-yard box. The goal was Labate's fifth of the season and her first since the second week of October.

Then Samantha Verduzco and Janae Megorden partnered to add another goal just three and a half minutes later when Verduzco attracted the TIU defenders toward her and opened up the space for Megorden. After making her run across the top of the 18-yard box, Verduzco changed direction and laid the ball off for Megorden to take a beautiful arcing shot toward upper-90.

Those two goals would be all Biola needed because of the Eagles ability to control the flow of play. Head Coach Erin Brunelle's team prohibited the Trojans from keeping possession in their offensive half for the majority of the match and did an excellent job of maintaining its own handle on the ball.

The time and space the Eagles afforded themselves allowed Biola to distribute playing time throughout the roster and rest a few members of the starting XI for Friday's semifinal match. Ten players who were not in the starting 11 saw at least 20 minutes of playing time in the victory. Senior Brittni Coffeen and freshman Danielle Lord saw the most minutes of that players in that group and more than held their own while giving Cat Newberry and Bri Mikalson a break.

The Eagles will have an off-day Thursday before gearing up for their semifinal match on Friday at 1:30 p.m. (PT). Biola was re-seeded as the No. 2 team in the semifinal and will face the Pool B winner,  No. 3 Concordia Ann Arbor.

Live stats for Friday's match will be available at athletics.biola.edu
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