Box Score
CLAREMONT, Calif. — Head Coach Sarah Orozco's team wanted to make a big statement as they opened play at the Claremont Convergence tournament. The Eagles had a chance to get their first crack at an east coast Western Water Polo Association team in the McKendree Bearcats.

Biola flexed its muscle against a Bearcats team that came into the matchup 5-1 on the season. Biola topped 20 goals for the first time in program history in a runaway 22-8 victory. 

"We were trying to make a statement with the east coast teams," said Orozco.

Biola scored five or more goals in three of the four periods on Friday morning. A 5-1 first period set the tone for the large victory as Biola never had to worry over the duration of the 32 minutes.

Hanna Jordan scored the Eagles' first goal and would end the match as one of the leading scorers for BU, too. Jordan buried four goals in just five shot attempts and added one assist as part of a group of six Eagles with three points or more.

Kourtney Pyle was the leading point-getter for the Eagles with a four-goal game herself paired with two assists. Her six points is the most she's had in any single game this season.

Biola won all four sprints and made two out of every three shots they attempted in this one to dominate the competition from wire-to-wire. Samantha Rainey and Alicia Fregoso split time in the cage and recorded 10 saves against McKendree's shooters, limiting them to 25 percent shooting.

Rachel Spadt was the team's leading scorer with a five piece of her own. She scored five times on six shots for another outstanding shooting percentage. It's her second time this season with five or more scores.

Lizzy Birch, Maria Roldan Gonzalez and Ava LoBue were the three others with three points. Birch had a hat trick while Roldan Gonzalez and LoBue each grabbed two goals and an assist.

Christina Cervantes chipped in with a fourth-quarter score to notch her second goal of the 2022 season. 

The resounding victory draws clear the distinction between a competitive west coast startup in Biola and the Bearcats, who were leading the east coast WWPA group in the early going this season. McKendree was, though, picked to finish eighth in the preseason WWPA poll.

Biola improves to 3-7 with the win, breaking a streak of four losses in a row. It will be a tough test this evening as the Eagles return to Axelrod Pool to go toe-to-toe with California Baptist (7-9), who're receiving votes in the most recent CWPA Coaches' Poll.

The match begins at 5:30 p.m. Follow live stats and live video.