Senior Stephanie Cubias fights for the ball against Arizona Christian University Wednesday evening. The women improved to 5-4-1 overall with a 2-1 record in GSAC play. | John Buchanan/THE CHIMES
The Biola women’s soccer team bounced back from losing their first match of the Golden State Athletic Conference season to defeat both Concordia University Irvine and Arizona Christian University on Saturday and Wednesday respectively.
Both Biola and Concordia started the game strong with many opportunities to score. Midway through the first half, Concordia’s Brooke Springer headed a pass to Elizabeth Abt, who managed a shot and goal in the 33rd minute of the match. The game remained close; Biola ended the half down by one.
“The first half was possession-wise one of our best halves in soccer,” freshman Amanda Otto said. “We were possessing really well, communicating really well and playing as a unit really well, but we were just unlucky and down 1-0.”
The second half remained as challenging as the first as both teams never maintained possession of the ball for long periods of time. The equalizer came early in the second half after a foul inside the 18-yard box. Senior Ashleigh Cooley stepped up to take a penalty kick and shot it into the bottom right of the net.
“For us, we knew that it was anyone’s game after our goal,” freshman goalkeeper Marina Rodriguez said. “It pumped us up knowing that we were back in the game, and I could tell that Concordia felt the same way.”
Otto’s first collegiate goal is a game-winner
After the second goal of the match, both teams struggled to capitalize on their shots and find the winning goal — until the 82nd minute. Biola freshman Cameron Smith and sophomore Michelle Clark pushed forward with a nice run up the field, allowing Otto a close-range shot at her first goal of the year. Otto’s shot from three yards out was the tie-breaking goal. Now, all Biola had to do was keep Concordia from scoring for the last eight minutes of the game.
“Our coach likes to tell us, once we’re ahead, to possess, be smart with our balls, relax and get our heads straight,” Rodriguez said.
Although Concordia picked up their rate of play as they searched for an equalizer, Biola finished strong defensively and offensively. Soon after Biola’s second goal, Concordia’s Miranda Canales had a close range shot that was blocked by Rodriguez in the 85th minute.
“We just needed to finish strong and not let up and keep going those last five minutes,” Otto said. “We ended the game attacking as a team and defending as a team.”
Eagles dominate and defeat Arizona Christian University
In the game against Arizona Christian, the Eagles maintained possession of the ball most of the first half, yet they were unable to score and both teams ended the period tied at zero.
The Eagles were more effective in the second half as they attacked the net more and took better advantage of their shots.
Senior Taylor Lundquist was the first to score after a corner pass from Otto. Lundquist curled the ball into the top right of the net as she was standing outside the box in the left corner of the field. Almost 10 minutes later, junior Jessica Austin was fouled inside the box and a penalty kick was called in favor of the Eagles. Junior Victoria Dalla Zanna stepped up to take the kick and landed the goal in the middle of the net.
Sophomore Shea Davis added the third goal for the Eagles in the 85th minute with another shot outside the box and into the top right side of the net. Three minutes later Cooley took a shot that hit the crossbar; luckily, sophomore Amanda Lillicrop was there for the rebound and scored the fourth goal of the game.
“I think we were a little more patient in our attacking decisions in the second half,” head coach Todd Elkins said. “We were getting close to the goal and we were getting a few shots around the goal, but we weren’t as dangerous as we needed to be in the first half.”
Biola improved their record to an overall 5-4-1 and will face No. 10 Westmont College on Saturday, Oct. 6 at 2:30 p.m. in Santa Barbara.
