SAN DIEGO, Calif. --- Jules Loibl had another solid performance and finished third overall, Sami Penor added a top-10 finish of her own and Biola Women's Golf started their Spring 2020 slate by taking second place in a field of 11 teams in the PLNU Sea Lion Invitational at the Rancho Bernardo Inn Golf Club.

"Today certainly wasn't the result we were hoping for," said Head Coach Jane Carr. "But I couldn't be prouder of our players for fighting hard and solidifying a second-place finish."

Improvement down the stretch seemed to be the theme for the day for coach Carr's squad, which recorded its highest team finish thus far in the 2019-20 season. The Eagles shot a 314 on Tuesday to follow Monday's 307 and lock in their second-place standing.

Loibl followed her season-best 72 on Monday with a 78 on Tuesday, finishing with a total of 150 (+6) in the event. That was just four strokes behind individual winner Samantha Cabunag of Sonoma State. The Seawolves had the two lowest scorers in the event and finished 10 strokes ahead of the Eagles to take the team title as well.

Loibl finished one stroke ahead of a four-way tie for fourth place to give her the lowest score of any golfer not from Sonoma State.

She shook off a lackluster start at three-over through her first four holes and six--over through 10. She hit her stride on the back nine, recording back-to-back birdies on holes 12 and 13 and another on 16 to give herself some breathing room. Loibl tied for the tournament lead with eight birdies in the 36 holes.

"Jules is knocking on the door of an individual win and came very close today," said Carr "She made some amazing shots out there and continues to impress me as an athlete."

Penor came back with a vengeance after a rough start of her own. She had four bogeys in her first six holes, but came back with a remarkable eagle on hole eight. Her Eagles was the only one in the entire tournament from any golfer.

Penor then bogeyed her first hole of the back nine but came right back with a birdie on hole 11, then erased another mistake with a birdie on 16. 

That helped her finish just five over par on the day and just two behind her day-one mark of 75. Her 77 was the lowest score of the day for Biola. She tied for seventh overall.

"This team is tough - they have learned to deal with the elements and not let it get to them mentally. This was a great start to our spring season," said Carr.

Alexis Gopfert and Marcel Manalo each came in clutch for the Eagles with second-day showings that either matched or surpassed their first day. 

Gopfert shot a 79 for the second straight round, giving her a two-day total of 158 (+14) that was good for a 14th-place tie in the individual leaderboard. Following a rough finish to the front nine, Gopfert recorded a birdie on hole 10 and three straight pars. 

Manalo was the only Eagle to improve upon her day one score, shooting an 80 on Tuesday after an 81 on Monday. Consistency proved the key for her, as she got six straight pars on the back nine.

Rachael Reynolds shot an 84 on Tuesday, highlighted by a four-par streak of her own on the back nine, to finish with a two-day total of 166 (+22). Competing individually, Tori Roeske had 84 strokes on the day to finish at 164.

"It was a confidence booster to beat two other PacWest teams, as well as Concordia Oregon who won the Hilo Hawaii fall tournament," said Carr. "I think our girls are learning how to win and growing more comfortable competing at the NCAA Division II level.

CSU Los Angeles finished seven strokes back in third place. Concordia Portland was in fourth, eight strokes back from BU. The closest PacWest Conference team was Point Loma (630).

The Eagles return home triumphant and get some time off before heading up north for the Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout hosted by CSU East Bay on March 2-3.