Regular season comes to end with 2-1 win over Vanguard

The Biola men’s soccer team finished off the regular season with a 2-1 victory over the Vanguard University Lions Saturday on senior night.

Wingrove assists Bautista’s first goal to take a first-half lead
Senior midfielder Zach Bautista started off the scoring for the Eagles with a goal in the 33rd minute off an assist from sophomore midfielder Dylan Wingrove, who received the ball from sophomore forward Carlos Ballesteros.

Wingrove took the ball through the penalty area and passed it to Bautista who tapped the ball past the keeper to make it 1-0.

Bautista’s second goal wins the game for Biola

Bautista added his second goal of the game after Ballesteros dribbled the ball through traffic and dumped it off to Bautista who put it past the keeper.

“It’s unreal and exciting, to end on a win, it all goes to God,” Bautista said, after he finished up his final regular season game with a two-goal performance. “It’s a bittersweet feeling, though. I don’t want it to end. I love the other guys like they’re my family.”

This feeling is shared by the players and the coaching staff.

“This has for sure been the most fun group I have had at Biola in my 10 years here,” said head coach Bryan Kuderman, on what this team has meant to him.

The Eagle defense kept the Lions scoreless through the first half, outshooting Vanguard 10-7.

Biola was whistled for a foul inside the penalty area 10 minutes into the second half, setting up Vanguard for a penalty kick.

Cornwall spoils Fenlason’s shutout, makes game 2-1

Lion forward Kevin Cornwall, the second leading goal scorer in the Golden State Athletic Conference, drilled the ball into the right corner of the net to bring Vanguard within one.

The Eagle defense shut down the Lions the rest of the half, outshooting them 10-4 for the half and 20-11 for the match.

In the closing moments, the Lions set up for a free kick around midfield following a Biola foul. All the players crowded into the Eagle penalty box in a play that would decide the outcome of the match. The ball came in and the Lions got a foot on it, but the shot sailed high over the cross bar as time expired.

Biola senior keeper Aaron Fenlason recorded only one save on the evening in his final regular season match as an Eagle. Reigning GSAC Defensive Player of the Week Cody Adams countered in net for the Lions recording five saves.

After being plagued with injuries in recent weeks, Biola took another personnel hit and will be without standout senior defender Cody Shelton who was whistled for his fifth yellow card of the season in the 64th minute against Vanguard, resulting in an automatic one-game suspension. Heading into the playoffs and lacking their strongest defender, the Eagles will have to completely change their game play.

“We have to change everything we do because Cody will not be able to play. We will be desperate in the back line as he usually shuts down the attack for us,” Kuderman said. “Cody was the only defender who could handle Cornwall and someone will have to step up and be our new Cody.”