Box Score
LONG BEACH, Calif. — If you were looking for signs that Biola Women's Water Polo was a first-year program playing its first game ever, you weren't likely to find too many as BU competed strong with perennial 20-win program, Pomona-Pitzer.

Powered by five goals from true freshman Veralie Naranjo, the Eagles had a chance all throughout the full 32 minutes of Sunday's season-opener. The Sagehens did capitalize on two missed five-meter penalty shots from BU to maintain a slim two-goal advantage and ultimately win the match, 9-7.

"It was just great to get going," said Head Coach Sarah Orozco. "Just to see the girls touch the water was great. We've got some work to do, but I think with our next game we can really get in there and do like we hope to do."

Biola got its program started on the right foot as Ava LoBue won the opening sprint of the season to get Biola possession first. The sprints were a point of strength for BU in this on as the Eagles took three of four in the match.

The Sagehens scored first, putting one home just over two minutes into the period. But, a phenomenal individual effort from Naranjo got the game tied at one just about 30 seconds later. 
 

First goal in program history for #BiolaWWP let's go, Veralie! pic.twitter.com/vgNheERj8F

— Biola Athletics (@BiolaAthletics) January 23, 2022

Naranjo followed that up with a goal on the power play 45 seconds before the end of the first period to put Biola in the driver's seat with the first lead in program history.

Two unanswered for the Sagehens helped them climb back on top as the game moved towards halftime, with Biola unable to put a goal home at all in the second frame.

The scoring struggles went away momentarily at the outset in the third as Naranjo once again found the twine to bring the game back even not even a minute into the second half.

The difference in the contest ended up being a three-and-a-half minute stretch in the middle of the third where Pitzer managed to use it's experience to make fastbreak opportunities turn into goals. The Sagehens scored three in a row to make it 6-3 and take first grasp of the contest.

Biola refused to go down early, doing all it could to get a shot at that first-ever program victory. The fourth goal of the game was one of the most exciting as two Eagles' attackers played the ball back and fourth to one another while up on offense to let Rachel Spadt bury one. 

That score brought it back within two with just a few seconds left in the third, setting Biola up for a chance to win the sprint in the fourth and make it a one-goal game. 

BU did win the sprint, but was unable to capitalize. In fact, it wasn't until four minutes into the third that Biola managed to score once more. Hanna Jordan tucked one home from point blank, and then Naranjo scored twice more in the final minute-and-a-half of the game, but it was a bit too late to complete a comeback.

"This game was just nerves and jitters, but for a starting program I think we did very good," said Orozco. "As a coach, I also think this game helped me get my jitters out. Now we know what to expect."

Naranjo's five goals led the way for BU, but Spadt and Jordan were also solid offensively, each adding one goal and one assist. Lizzy Birch had two assists to round out the offensive standouts in the opener for BU.

"Veralie is on fire. She's always on fire," said Orozco. "We hope to see that from her. She is in it to win it. After the game, she was also the one to lead us in prayer postgame. We prayed for them, because as a program we want God first."

Damaris Kientz got the start in the cage and racked up 10 saves in three quarters before handing it off to team captain Samantha Rainey.

The loss drops Biola to 0-1 on the year and allowed the Saghens to move to 1-1 following a tough loss to the hosts #12 Long Beach State earlier on Sunday.

Biola continues its opening weekend with a 2 p.m. match against La Verne.