LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Head Coach Erin Brunelle's women's soccer roster gets to unwrap their highly anticipated 2019 regular season this week with two matchups against CCAA programs that were ranked in the top-four of their conference's preseason poll. The season opener against Cal State LA and the major test on the road against No. 3-ranked UC San Diego will be an early litmus test for a group that lost no seniors from the 2018 season and that received an exciting injection of new student-athletes who have already built upon the team's chemistry and depth on the pitch. 

With 12 seniors on their roster and 25 women who have played at least one season in the PacWest, experience is now one of the Eagles' strongest assets. And that experience should help them navigate Biola's two big road trips north this year along with the big stretch of three matches in six days when the Hawaii schools come to Al Barbour Field at the end of October. 

Biola comes into the 2019 season with a No. 4 ranking in the PacWest Preseason Poll along with two Preseason All-PacWest selections in Katelyn Penner and Madyson Brown. The return of a decorated centerback in Brown after her redshirt season and the return of senior Christina Rodriguez in goal are two big steps toward giving the Eagles one of the premier defenses in the PacWest again. And the impact will extend beyond those ladies. as the Eagles will be able to mix transfer Sami Chedester and three other defenders who were starters match-in and match-out a year ago (Alyssa Chavez, Devin Gooch and Colie Martin) into the backline to maximize that strength.

In midfield and attack it should be a mix of some All-PacWest anchors and depth rotation while the Eagles work toward being full strength sometime during the season. All-conference selections Katelyn Penner and Hali Oakes already played almost every minute last year and will be dependable again as the coaching staff solidifies the roles around them. Up top, All-PacWest second team forward Annmarie Alvarez is expected to start and will be joined by an impressive group of 10 others forward who all expect to make an impact for Biola this year.  


MULTIMEDIA: Live video and live stats will be provided free of charge for all Biola home contests. See links and cost for road contests in the previews below.

TICKETS: Biola home events are always free to Biola students, staff, faculty and alumni. Children 12 and under are also always free. General admission is $6 and discounted tickets for opposing school students, guests under 18 and seniors are $4. See ticketing information for road contests below each preview below.


BIOLA (0-0) vs CAL STATE LA (0-0): Thursday, Sep. 5 at 7 p.m. \\ Live Stats \\ Live Video
Cal State LA comes to Al Barbour Field for a non-conference meeting to kick off the 2019 season after hosting Biola last September and earning a 1-0 victory at Jesse Owens Field. After improving to 2-0 against the Eagles last season, Cal State LA went 8-6-2 the rest of the way and 6-4-2 in conference play before bowing out in the first round of the CCAA conference tournament. The Golden Eagles were also chosen fourth in their preseason poll with 21 returning letter-winners and four All-CCAA selections.

CSULA will need to get accustomed to a new goalkeeper after four-year starter Amanda Maldanado graduated this past Spring. But Cal State LA will feel pretty comfortable up top with two midfielders who were previous All-Conference First Team selections (Paulina Chaidez and Irma Pinzon) and a second-team forward in Leslie Ramirez. Biola is 4-3 against Cal State LA all-time and 2-1 in matches held in La Mirada. But this will be the Golden Eagles' first trip to campus since 2002. 

BIOLA (0-0) at No. 3 UC San Diego (0-0) : Saturday Sep. 7 at 4:30 p.m. \\ Live Stats \\ Live Video
The 2019 season will be the final NCAA DII campaign for the Tritons' women's soccer team as UC San Diego completes its transition to the Big West Conference and NCAA DI next year. Consequently, it means one final go around for a program that has been the class of the West Regional in the recent year and starts the season ranked No. 3 in the United Soccer Coaches national poll. The Tritons have won three-straight CCAA regular season titles, four-straight tournament titles and reached the National semifinals after taking the West Region crown in 2018. UC San Diego returns its entire backline from a year ago and will be anchored by All-American Natalie Saddic. But the Tritons will be leaning on some new face in attack since the lost three all-conference selections to graduation and since both of the true forwards on their roster were underclassmen a year ago. This will be Biola's first-ever meeting with UCSD.

UCSD does not charge admission for home soccer matches. More information about the Tritons' soccer facility can be found on their facility page.