LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Each day for the last week of June and first Week of July we will count down Biola Athletics' top-10 moments/achievements from the 2018-19 athletic season. This Monday represents day six of this countdown and will feature the No. 5 moment of the year.
 
#5: Thompson's Hat Trick on Senior Day
Leo Thompson immediately injected some firepower into the Eagles' attack with his transfer to Biola for the 2018 season. Coming into the final match of the season at home against Dominican, Thompson had recorded three braces in a Biola uniform and had already scored more goals than any men's soccer player over the previous three years. But Thompson had one more magnificent performance under his sleeve to celebrate an influential group of seniors who were playing their final match at Al Barbour Field.

The English striker propelled Biola to a 3-1 win over the Penguins with the first hat trick in over five years for Head Coach Todd Elkins' side. And it was a true scoring clinic with Thompson scoring all of his goals in a 24-minute span. 
 

MSOC: Leo Thompson is on fire here in the first half! He's scored twice to help Biola take a 2-0 lead over @dominicansports on senior day. #PacWestMSOC

— Biola Athletics (@BiolaAthletics) November 3, 2018

After launching a beautiful ball that tucked inside the upper-90 to give Biola the lead in the 23rd minute, Thompson displayed the full skill set with a scoring header in the 31st and a goal from a free kick just after kickoff for the second half to guarantee a winning conclusion to the season for Biola.
 

Thompson Tips Cap To Seniors - Leo Thompson records Biola's first hat trick since October 2013 in the Eagles' 3-1 senior day win over Dominican. https://t.co/59TGaq2yLp

— Biola Athletics (@BiolaAthletics) November 4, 2018

The Eagles finished with a winning conference record and a .500 overall record for the second-straight year as an NCAA Division II program while senior captains Kousei Mattox and Parker Setran held the line at the back on last time to wrap up impressive collegiate careers as four-year starters. 

The trio of Mattox, Thompson and Setran all earned All-PacWest honors after the 2018 season and Thompson will return to the side in 2019 as the Eagles play their first season with NCAA postseason eligibility. 
 

Leo Thompson - 🎩🎩🎩!!!#PacWestMSOC pic.twitter.com/NCixDoUmjY

— Biola Athletics (@BiolaAthletics) November 4, 2018

Honorable Mention: Tennis Teams Qualify For PacWest Championships


For the first time in what will hopefully be the start of a long run of success, both Biola tennis teams traveled to Surprise, Arizona as one group to compete at the PacWest Tennis Championships.

The women's team came into the tournament with a No. 11 seeding after knocking Dominican out of the field with a victory at the Biola Tennis Center on March 13 and taking a step above Hawaii Hilo with another win on March 25.

Those victories punctuated what ended up being the most successful season in terms of home record for the Eagles since 2010 and gave them some optimism heading into their two matches at the championships. But it was the men's side that delivered victory in Surprise for the second-straight year in the seventh-place match. 


All-PacWest players Derek James and Edwyn Ramos each contributed to the Eagles' 4-0 win over Holy Names, with both men earning 6-3 victories in doubles before James won his singles match in straights to clinch the match for Biola and finish his year with a 14-3 singles record. Senior captain David Garcia also won both his doubles and singles fixtures in his final match with Biola to help the Eagles finish the year with 10 wins. 



Both the men's and women's tennis teams will have high expectations for next season as the majority of the roster returns for both sides and as additional improvements are being made to the Biola Tennis Center to make it an elite facility in NCAA Division II Tennis. 

Top-10 Moments:
10. Men's Basketball Comes Back At Hawaii Hilo
9. Historic Tennis Victories
8. Swim Team Record-Breaking Efforts
7. Mackenna Mason Sweeps NCCAA Distance Titles
6. Softball Sweeps Way To Finals
5. Thompson's Hat Trick on Senior Day
4. Tuesday, July 2
3. Wednesday, July 3
2. Thursday, July 4
1. Friday, July 5

Honorable Mentions:
Connor Kostecka's Bat Produces Two Walk-Off Hits
Paige Austin Carves Up APU
Ryan Thompson Wins PacWest 10k By An Eyelash
Women's Golf Makes A Run At PacWest Title
Volleyball Gets Revenge At Home
Tennis Teams Qualify For PacWest Championships