The Biola men’s soccer team outscored Hope International University by a score of 3-2 to advance to the championship round of the GSAC Tournament. Biola has not made it to the championship game since 2011 when they beat Concordia University in double overtime.  

The first goal came from junior midfielder Leonardo Contreras off a corner kick from junior midfielder Devin Leon. Hope answered back off a free kick from half field to tie the game 1-1. Before the end of the first half, Leon was knocked to the ground after the whistle and received a red card while getting injured.  

Hope entered the second half with all of the momentum, tying the game and drawing a red card to force the Eagles to play a man short for the rest of the game.

“It was really hard in the beginning because obviously emotionally speaking we were affected,” said Christian Aparicio, senior midfielder. “But in the middle time we spoke and we remembered that the only way we could achieve this is if we stay together, we stay as a family and who we are and that was the key.”

Senior midfielder John Hanscom regained the advantage for the Eagles with 20 minutes left in the game. Hanscom received the ball from senior midfielder Joey O’Keefe and fired it into the left side of the net.

Aparicio sealed Hope’s fate by scoring a goal off a through ball from sophomore midfielder Jarrett Pugh.

“I saw the opportunity and my legs were tired but I saw the space so I just kept running, kept running, asking for the ball and thank God everything came perfect,” Aparicio said.

Biola held a two goal lead with only five minutes in regulation that was eventually cut to one after Hope scored 40 seconds after Aparicio’s goal. It was too little too late as Biola held off the Royals and won the game 3-2.  

The championship game will take place on Nov. 14 at home against the winner of The Master’s College or Vanguard University.