The Biola women’s soccer team find themselves at a record of 1-3 after losing 1-0 to Westminster College on Friday afternoon. However, they picked up their first victory this weekend as well — an 8-0 victory over the University of Great Falls on Saturday.
Biola loses to Westminster College
The Westminster Griffins took home the victory Friday after junior Margo Hickman scored the only goal of the game six minutes into the overtime period. Biola dominated in the first 15 minutes, taking three shots and numerous corner kicks, but the Eagles were unable to put one in the goal and spent the remainder of the half fighting off the Griffins.
The Griffins started off the second half with three quick shots, but the Eagles were able to fend them off. The two teams entered into overtime 0-0 but six minutes into overtime, Hickman found the back of the net, giving Westminster a 1-0 lead and ending the game. Biola’s senior goalkeeper Erin Frushon faced 15 shots throughout the course of the game and made eight saves but ultimately suffered the loss once again.
Women’s team earns first victory with win over Great Falls
On Saturday afternoon, after three devastating losses to open the season, Biola pulled out their first victory against The University of Great Falls, handing them an 8-0 loss. In this one game, Biola accumulated nearly half the team’s total of goals from last season, 17. Before Saturday’s outburst, the Eagles had only scored once in their first three games of the season.
Senior Brittany Barr got the ball rolling for the Eagles, scoring the first goal of the match off a pass from sophomore Morgan Gage within the first four minutes of the game. Junior Ashleigh Cooley jumped in on the action, scoring in the 20th minute after finishing a shot that had been deflected by the goalkeeper. This was Cooley’s second goal of the season.
Seven minutes later, Barr scored her second goal of the game by tapping in a cross pass from junior Stephanie Cubias. Within two minutes of Barr’s goal, sophomore Chrissy King added another point to the board, giving the Eagles a solid 4-0 lead.
Biola came into the second half ready to add more to the board. Cooley made a nice pass finding sophomore Victoria Dalla Zanna wide open 10 yards from the goal. After finishing the pass with ease, the Eagles found themselves with a 5-0 lead 15 minutes into the second half.
The Eagles added another three goals in the final 15 minutes of the game. Junior Natalie Oliver and freshman Miranda Starbeck each delivered their first goal of the season, Starbeck’s score was her first career collegiate goal. Junior Taylor Lundquist capped off the scoring in the 83rd minute with a goal of her own making the score 8-0.
This was a well-rounded game for the Eagles as seven different players got on the board with goals and seven contributed assists. Frushon faced three shots throughout the game, making one save, en route to her first victory of the season.
“It was awesome! We have been training so hard everyday and finally getting that first win was so rewarding,” sophomore Allexa Mendoza said. “It boosted everyone’s spirits especially traveling all the way to Utah, we always play to win and getting that first success was phenomenal.”
Balancing athletics and academics
Tasked with balancing academics and athletic commitment tends to take its toll.
“It is busy and challenging at times. We have to balance games and coordinate with our teachers when we have to miss class and every year we have to plan our school schedules around practice times which can get stressful,” Mendoza said. “Although it is a huge time commitment to play soccer and manage school and a social life, it is so worth it.”
Biola will return to Southern California to face Pomona-Pitzer College in Claremont, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 10 at 4 p.m.
