Box Score
LA VERNE, Calif. — One of these days Head Coach Sarah Orozco's team will get to experience a stress-free, easy-going water polo match. Thursday's game two vs. La Verne was anything but.
It was full-on adrenaline-pumping from the very start as they went toe-to-toe with a University of La Verne team fresh off a recent win over Biola rival Concordia University Irvine.
The Leopards are off to their best season since back in 2016 and they used the momentum of a strong season and their home pool to manage a sudden-death overtime victory by a final score of 14-13.
It was a bit of a letdown for the Biola bunch, which once again found it deep within themselves to come back and tie the game on the final possession to force overtime in the first place.
Biola led the game early on, scoring the first goal and also leading 2-1, 3-2 and 4-3. But, La Verne caught themselves and took a 5-4 lead 40 seconds into the second period and never trailed again throughout regulation time.
The game was close the entire time, with the Leopards' largest lead being three goals in the third period. Biola closed that gap with a run of three-consecutive goals, getting two from
Veralie Naranjo and another from
Lizzy Birch.
That brought the game level at 11 a piece with 3:44 to play, and from that point forward the game was either tied or just a one-goal lead for either side.
Ava LoBue scored the big goal for Biola with five seconds left in regulation to tie things up at 12 and force overtime.
Biola actually struck first in the overtime period as LoBue won the sprint to get the Eagles off to a strong start and eventually buried a goal with seven seconds left in the first overtime period to make it 13-12.
Unfortunately, college water polo plays three overtime periods of three-minutes each and that opened the door up for the hosts. The Leopards found an equalizer with 2:04 left in the sixth period, and Biola could find nothing for its side of the scoreboard in the extra period.
That sent the game to one final sudden death overtime period where ULV won the sprint for the first time since the third period. Winning the spring allowed them to start the period with a significant advantage as Biola had to deal with two ejections late in the end of the sixth period.
The Leopards scored on their first trip down the pool to make it 14-13 and end the game in heartbreaking fashion for BU. It's the Eagles' second OT loss in their last three matches.
Kourtney Pyle and Naranjo were the team leaders with three goals in this one. LoBue scored twice, with both of her goals carrying heavy weight. Birch also had two to combine for Biola's big offensive effort.
Biola was excluded four more times in the contest than ULV was, which made a big impact when the game came down to the wire.
The Eagles (8-14) now turn their attention to their home match Saturday at 1 p.m. against CSU Monterey Bay. Biola defeated CSUMB 10-9 last week.
Unfortunately, we are unable to stream that game Saturday so please make plans to join us in La Mirada if you can or follow live scoring online at https://www.thefosh.net/live/12074.
