SAN JOSE, Calif. --- After a closely contested first half was spoiled by a lopsided third quarter it would've been easy for the men of Biola Water Polo to lose heart and lay down against the Iona Gaels on Saturday morning.

Instead, Biola put together one of its finest periods of the entire season in the final eight minutes up north, coming just one or two possessions shy of a massive comeback in what turned out to be a 15-13 loss.

After getting outscored 4-2 in the first, the Eagles had a better second period, capped off by back-to-back scores from Nolan Rapp and Kenny Wulf, to trail by just one at the halftime break (6-5).

Unfortunately for BU, Iona came out of the break scorching hot, scoring four goals in a row to blow that one-goal lead all the way out to five midway through the third. The Gaels would outscore the Eagles 6-2 in the period to seemingly put the game out of reach at 12-7.

Then a sleeping giant awoke as Biola's offense had its most dominant five minutes of the year from the start of the fourth quarter until Dominic Hidalgo-Valecillo pulled the team back within one with 3:18 left in the game.

Goals from six different guys helped the Eagles triple up Iona between 7:42 - 3:18 in the frame, making it a 14-13 lead for the team from Southeastern New York. Luke Franklin started it on Biola first possession of the period, making it goals in back-to-back games for the freshman center.

Frank's goal was followed up by a second of the game from Wulf. He's now up to seven multi-goal games this season. After that, Maxwell Osborn deposited a power play goal, which is one of two man-up scores BU managed in that final frame. Matthew Vinson, Grasso and Hidalgo-Valecillo rounded out the six scores to set up a thrilling third period as two teams desperate for a win fought their hardest to get one.

The defensive intensity picked up on both sides and Biola was only able to managed one more shot over the rest of the period, and that came just after Iona scored a goal to extend the lead to two with 11 seconds left on the clock.

Maxwell Osborn was the one to get that last shot for BU, and why wouldn't he be? The big man had a hat trick on the day for the Eagles. It was his highest scoring output of the year. Franklin, Grasso and Wulf all ended with two a piece. Mitchell Carpenter was once again fantastic for the Eagles, recording 13 stops in the goal..

The loss drops Biola to 1-16 overall. They are done for the day, but they will round out the Julian Fraser Memorial Tournament on Sunday with games against a pair of top-12 opponents. Find more information and links to live coverage on the Men's Water Polo schedule page.