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The Official Athletic Site of the Biola University Eagles

Scoreboard

WSOC 0923
0
BU-WS BU-WS (4-1-0/0-1-0 PacWest)
2
Winner Dixie State DX-W (6-1-0/2-0-0 PacWest)
BU-WS BU-WS
(4-1-0/0-1-0 PacWest)
0
Final
2
Dixie State DX-W
(6-1-0/2-0-0 PacWest)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
BU-WS BU-WS 0 0 0
Dixie State DX-W 1 1 2

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

Cornerkicks Ground The Eagles

Dixie State scores two goals on set pieces and wins 0-2.

ST. GEORGE, Utah --- The Eagles took care of their first defensive priority on Saturday by silencing Dixie State University's two top goal-scorers. But the Trailblazers netted two goals off of cornerkicks to win their second PacWest match of the season.

Biola (4-1) starts its tenure in the PacWest with an 0-1 record while Dixie State becomes the momentary leader in the PacWest table (2-0 PWC) and improves to 6-1 overall. It is the first time the Eagles have been shutout in 2017.

The loss today will only help us get better," said Head Coach Erin Brunelle. "I thought the ladies implemented our defensive game plan well throughout the run of play. But we lacked the desire and grit that you need on set pieces and that was the difference in the game."

The Trailblazers came into the match with two dynamic forwards in Darian Murdock and Jamie Iurato. Murdock and Iurato had 11 goals between them coming into the match and had combined to score all five goals for Dixie State in its 5-1 win over Chaminade University Hawaii on Thursday.

Biola largely took both threats out of the match, keeping Iurato out of the box score and limiting Murdock to two errant shots. The Eagles defense did an excellent job of stepping between the Trailblazers combinations the entire match and preventing their attackers from breaking away with the ball at their feet.

It was during dead-ball situations where the home team proved most dangerous. DSU only created two cornerkick opportunities on Saturday, but found breaks on both of them to get the ball past the Eagles defense.

Dixie State opened up the score in an unexpected fashion just nine minutes into the match. Defender Montana Hadley scored her first goal of the year when her inswinger carried over everyone scrambling in the six-yard box and bent inside the opening at the far right post.

The Eagles were the team that was more successful at pressing the ball in the opponent's' half during the rest of the first half but the Trailblazers seemed to get between the ball and goalkeeper Felicity Tarr every time the Eagles threatened in the final 30 minutes of the half. But Biola certainly made Tarr work for her fourth clean sheet of the season, forcing her to make four saves on Saturday.

Biola nearly evened things in the second half when forward Samantha Verduzco found the ball at her feet and a running lane to work with in the 63rd minute. In a give-and-go with Sarah Jeffries, Verduzco found an opening on the right side from 35 yards out. When Jeffries pass beat the defender marking Verduzco, the senior forward took two dribbles to bring the ball inside the 18-yard box for her shot.

Unfortunately, her attempt at the near right post was stopped by Tarr point-blank to keep the lead for the home team.

Dixie State created more breathing room in the 84th minute. One header off a cornerkick moved the ball beyond keeper Christina Rodriguez set up another header from Bailey Kroll to score her second goal of the season. Despite the two goals, Rodriguez played very well. She came up with nine saves and helped the Eagles in a big way with her punts across the center line.

"Dixie State wore us down in the second half and continued to generate a ton of pressure in their attack. They are definitely a team that will be tough to beat this season," said Brunelle. "We're thankful for such a tough test as our first PacWest game and will learn what we need to be even stronger in our next game."

Biola will play its second PacWest match at home this coming Thursday. The Eagles matchup with the Argos of Notre Dame De Namur at 4:00 p.m.
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