LA MIRADA, Calif. --- If there's one characteristic a team needs to win a 3-2 match in overtime it's resilience, and Head Coach Erin Brunelle's Biola Eagles displayed that resilience on Thursday night against CSU Dominguez Hills to win their home opener in extra time.

"It's good to come out with the win after going up 2-0 and thinking that we could pull out the win," said Brunelle. "I'm proud of the girls for sticking it out, for fighting after letting two goals in they definitely had the belief they could win the game."

Biola withstood back-to-back goals from the Toros in the 31st and 79th minute to keep the match tied after regulation and collect the decisive goal in overtime. There was a definite sense at Al Barbour Field that the Eagles were not shaken by the loss of their lead. Instead, it felt like they began to work harder to push back against the possibility of CSU Dominguez Hills stealing the match and dug into their system.

As a result of the Eagles stand against the Toros and their physical play, the visiting team amassed four yellow cards after their first goal and went down to 10 players with four minutes left in regulation. Biola knew exactly what to do with the extra space afforded by the Toros loss of one their captains and quickly found a Sarah Jeffries-Annmarie Alvarez connection in overtime to send the Al Barbour faithful away celebrating.

Alvarez scored two goals on Thursday by finishing off passes from her teammates, the first from Colie Martin on a lng ball forward in the eighth minute and the second on a Jeffries cross that found Alvarez closing in on the six-yard area. After Jeffries found a running lane down the far sideline she sent a low line-drive across the face of goal and whistled the ball past multiple Toro defenders before Alvarez got her shin on the ball to redirect into the net.

The goal is the second game-winner for Alvarez and resulted in the second-straight 3-2 overtime win for Biola in its season opener. The Eagles defeated Western Oregon by the same score on Aug. 31, 2017 after Jeffries also scored in extra time on a cross.

Biola also benefit by more good work on Thursday from players like Sarah Yang, who scored the second goal on a second-chance shot in the 27th minute, and freshman Aubrey Fergeson and Katelyn Penner. All three registered shots-on-goal while Fergeson and Penner were two of four freshman starters to play at least 72 minutes on the night. Viviana Poli and Sophie Nordyke also chipped in at least 70 minutes while Kavitha George and Sierra Rangel each held down the attacking third for 39 minutes on Thursday.

"The incoming freshman are filling in holes that were vacated by our graduating seniors from last year and we're asking a lot from them right away knowing there will be some growing pains as they adapt to the college game and our style of play," said Brunelle. "We have some good veteran leadership up top with Hali Oakes in the midfield and that's helping us [there]."

Biola returns to action on Saturday when it travels to Jesse Owens track to face Cal State LA. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.