Ruvalcaba keeps Championship hopes alive

Biola men’s soccer team found themselves in a precarious position on the muddy pitch in Irvine, Calif., on Saturday afternoon. Facing a 2-0 halftime deficit against Concordia University, the Eagles needed at least two goals in the final 45 minutes to keep their Golden State Athletic Conference championship hopes alive.

Senior forward Marco Ruvalcaba provided just that.

Scoring his team-leading eighth and ninth goals of the season, Ruvalcaba’s strikes kept the Eagles afloat in the rain, giving the team the momentum they needed to force extra time. Ruvalcaba then set up sophomore Carlos Ballesteros’ double-overtime goal to secure the team’s first GSAC title since 2002.

“We knew that if we got a goal early in the second half we’d be right back in it and that’s what happened, we got that quick goal,” Ruvalcaba said. “Once we got the first goal we got back the momentum and we put in the second and from then on we knew we had control of the game.”

Comebacks a large part of Eagles’ season

Ruvalcaba and his teammates are no strangers to comebacks as the team faced a two-goal deficit earlier in the season at Westmont College on Oct. 19. Down a man in the second half, the team rallied from 3-1 to force extra time before losing in double-overtime, but despite the loss, Ruvalcaba says the team still benefited.

“The turning point I think was that game,” Ruvalcaba said, referring to the 4-3 overtime loss to Westmont. “We all started to believe in ourselves and since then the confidence on our team has risen and I think that’s contributed to our win streak because that was the last game we lost.”

Ruvalcaba’s success started early

Ruvalcaba has been developing his game since he was a little kid, playing at all the levels leading up to his four years at Biola. He said his dad’s persistent coaching, whether it’s from the sidelines, stands or after the game, has contributed heavily to his success.

“He’s really hard on me, but I think that’s what has pushed me to try my best and get to the level I’m at,” Ruvalcaba said of his dad, who was a talented soccer player in his day. “If he didn’t push me I would have probably quit and maybe be playing something else.”

Biola is nationals bound

The Eagles were unranked in the NAIA in the preseason poll, but they have ridden a season-high six-game win streak to vault themselves into the national playoff picture.

Now the team sits five wins away from an NAIA championship thanks to Ruvalcaba’s offensive production and timely goals, as well as the leadership roles that he said he and the other seniors have provided since their freshman year.

A trip to Missouri awaits the red-hot Eagles, who will face NAIA No. 15 Hannibal-LaGrange University in the opening round of the NAIA Tournament this Saturday, Nov. 19.

“We know that Hannibal is going to be a really good team,” Ruvalcaba said. “Going out there it’s going to be a similar game like against Concordia because it’s supposed to be raining so we’re going to have to play a defensive game and put away our offensive chances early.”