Skip To Main Content

Biola University Athletics

Scoreboard

The Official Athletic Site of the Biola University Eagles

Scoreboard

Paula-Marie Labate dribbling a soccer ball
George Rodriguez
2
Concordia, Irvine CUI-WS (3-5-1, 1-2 PacWest)
3
Winner Biola University BU-WS (5-3-2, 3-0 PacWest)
Concordia, Irvine CUI-WS
(3-5-1, 1-2 PacWest)
2
Final
3
Biola University BU-WS
(5-3-2, 3-0 PacWest)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Concordia, Irvine CUI-WS 0 2 2
Biola University BU-WS 3 0 3

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

Biola Capitalizes Early and Often

Biola Women’s Soccer scores three first-half goals against Concordia and rides them to a 3-2 win at home.

LA MIRADA, Calif. --- After being recently reunited as conference peers and meeting for the third time in the past two season, the Biola Eagles finally got the win they had been working for against Concordia University Irvine on Saturday.

Three forward scored first-half goals for Head Coach Erin Brunelle's group and freshman keeper Viviana Polu recorded a single-match program record 17 saves in the match to keep Concordia at arm's length to hold onto the 3-2 victory.

Biola's first half scoring flurry was equally decisive and impressive, as the home team built a three-goal lead in a 12-minute span, from Paula-Marie Labate's opener in the 20th minute on a great sequence from Sierra Miller to Annmarie Alvarez, to Sierra Rangel's finish off a leading ball from Katelyn Penner.

"The ladies were out of their minds. They impressed me so much in the first half with their ability to take ownership of the game and to execute in the final third," said Head Coach Erin Brunelle. "It was very entertaining to watch from the sideline, just to see them mesh so well."

Junior forward Sarah Jeffries also got in on the scoring with a goal in the 22nd minute for her fourth score of the year. Both of Jeffries shot on the night were on target, giving her a team-high 17 shots-on-goal this season and 11 more than any other student-athlete on the roster.

Speaking of shots-on-goal, at a certain point in the match it seemed like Concordia's strategy to get back in the match was to simply pepper the frame with as many shots as it could. Viviana Poli played a solid match in goal for Biola and made all the routine stops that she was called for when Concordia continued to launch the ball from 22 yards out or more. But Poli also made a few spectacular saves, including a leaping punch over the bar on a rocket launched Mariana Maldanado in the 55th minute.

"Concordia is a great team that always puts up a fight," said Brunelle. "They have so many talented players so for us to walk away with a win tonight is huge."

Poli's 17 saves bests the single match record of 14 set by Biola in September 2002 against Cal State Dominguez Hills and really ended up being the difference in the match. Concordia ended up scoring two second half goals in an attempt to repeat the 3-3 draw these teams arrived at two weeks ago. But Poli and the Eagles' backline held CUI off just long enough to collect Biola's third win in PacWest play.

The Eagles are now perched in a tie for third place as they head to Hawaii for a three-match road trip that starts next Thursday. The Eagles are scheduled to kickoff against Hawaii Pacific at 6:00 p.m. pacific time.

"We just challenge our team with whatever the next game is, it's the biggest game of the season. And knowing that going to Hawaii is our first trip as a program out there, there are a lot of unknowns. So we want to just take things one day, one game at a time," said Brunelle. "Our hopes are to go out and get a good three results to bring back home but it's also great to start 3-0 in conference like we have, especially having played our first two games away."
Print Friendly Version
Skip Ad

Sponsors