IRVINE, Calif. — For the fourth year in a row, Biola Women's Water Polo will have the opportunity to compete for the Western Water Polo Association Championship. On Saturday, the Eagles knocked off the top seed from the East with a dominant 6–3 victory in the tournament semifinals.
In fitting fashion, graduate student
Ava LoBue provided a steadying presence in the win over Salem, recording three points, winning a pair of sprints, and playing excellent defense to help contain the Tigers. Salem entered Saturday averaging 13 goals per game, but Biola's locked-in defensive effort limited the Tigers to just three goals on 24 shots.
As usual, the Eagles' penalty kill played a major role in that defensive success. Head Coach
Sarah Ramirez's team was called for 12 exclusions but allowed only two power-play goals.
The 6–3 result marked the lowest-scoring game of the tournament so far. It was also Biola's first win over Salem and the teams' first meeting since Biola's inaugural season.
Biola struck first when LoBue found the back of the net about four minutes in. Salem answered to tie the match at 1–1 by the end of the first period. From there, Biola's defense took over, as the Eagles scored four of the next five goals to build a 5–2 lead. The fifth goal came on the opening possession of the fourth quarter, when
Stephanie Rodriguez converted immediately after winning the sprint.
Rodriguez led Biola in scoring with two goals, while she and LoBue were the only Eagles to record multiple points.
Fernanda Luna played all 32 minutes in goal, recording 12 saves and stopping 80 percent of the shots she faced. It marked her fifth game this season with a save percentage of 80 percent or better.
The win clinches Biola's opportunity to capture its third WWPA Tournament title. The Eagles will face host school Concordia Irvine in the championship match at Woollett Aquatic Center on Sunday at 1:45 p.m. It will be the third meeting of the season between the two rivals, with CUI seeking its first WWPA title in its inaugural season in the league.
