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Scoreboard

The Official Athletic Site of the Biola University Eagles

Scoreboard

YANg 0928
1
NDNU-WS NDNU-WS (5-3 (2-1 PacWest))
3
Winner BU-WS BU-WS (5-1 (1-1 PacWest))
NDNU-WS NDNU-WS
(5-3 (2-1 PacWest))
1
Final
3
BU-WS BU-WS
(5-1 (1-1 PacWest))
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
NDNU-WS NDNU-WS 0 1 1
BU-WS BU-WS 0 3 3

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

Sophomores Centerstage

Biola scores three times in the second half to defeat Notre Dame De Namur.

LA MIRADA, Calif. --- The Eagles exploded for three goals in the second half against Notre Dame De Namur on Thursday. Three sophomores combined for all the goals and assists in the match to propel Biola to its first conference win as a PacWest member.

Head Coach Erin Brunelle's team handed the Argos their first conference loss of the season and forces them to stand pat on the PacWest table with six points (2-1 PWC, 5-3 Overall). Biola (1-1 PWC, 5-1 Overall) remains undefeated at Al Barbour Field this season with the 3-1 victory.

The Eagles had a very promising start to the match with two dangerous chances to score in the opening moments of play. A two-pass combination 40 seconds into the game set up a breakaway run for Sam Verduzco that had her a full two steps ahead of the Argos defenders chasing her. Although the run was waved off at the last minute for offsides, Biola had set the tone for the match and proved it was dangerous.

After Sarah Jeffries took another stab at a through-ball that went just wide in the second minute, the match settled into a definite rhythm. Notre Dame De Namur took its fair share of shots from distance and aggressive passes forward in attempt to use the space on the field down the sidelines. And Biola would respond with counterattacks that tried to isolate the Argos' outside backs and race past them toward goal.

But NDNU's backline played an excellent offsides trap during the first half, forcing the ball to stay in Biola's half more than the Eagles would like. A Biola attacker was called offsides eight times during the first half alone and correctly made the NDNU trap the main focus of their adjustments headed into the second period.

Sarah Yang started the second half with the same bang that marked the first, scoring her first goal of the season on a service into the six from Sarah Jeffries.

"I can always count on Sarah to make a play when she gets the ball," said Yang. "I started sprinting toward the goal as soon as Sarah won the ball and raced down the line. And it was a great feeling to see it go in for my first goal with this team."

Unfortunately for the Eagles, NDNU would not let them celebrate the Sarah-Sarah connection for very long. Three minutes after Yang's goal, the Argos pressure on the Eagles' half resulted created a change in possession at a spot that allowed Abigail Dyer to beat the keeper one-on-one.

It was after that point in the match when Biola's collection of sophomore took key roles in how the result played out. Paula-Marie Labate turned the tide in Biola's favor in the 56th minute when she converted a penalty kick that was earned by a Verduzco run into the 18-yard box.

Then Jeffries needed just three minutes on the pitch after re-entering as a sub to find Yang for another goal that put the game away. Jeffries ran the same route in the 76th minute that she did in the 46th for an assist, leaving defenders a step behind as she took the ball to the left of the frame.

Jeffries sent a rocket in front of goal just before she reached the endline. Yang simply had to use her speed to get her body on the end of the ball so it would ricochet past the keeper and in for a 3-1 lead.

"We're really excited about the win and it was important for us," said Yang. "Getting the first one gets the ball rolling and will hopefully gives us more confidence headed into the rest of our season."

Biola has a chance to build on its victory almost immediately. The Eagles will play their next home match on Saturday against the Dominican Penguins at 4:00 p.m.
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