The start of the Biola women’s soccer team’s 2016 campaign puts the team in good standing to defend their 2015 Golden State Athletic Conference title. Although their conference matchups have yet to come, the Eagles managed to start the season 3-0, allowing only one goal overall and scoring at least twice in the first three games.

Verdusco’s offensive fireworks

The team started the season on the road, defeating the Marymount College Mariners 6-0. A trio of newcomers and one veteran forward provided the high number of goals for Biola. En route to her two-goal game, junior forward Samantha Verduzco put the Eagles ahead 18:07 into the first half. Along with Verduzco, freshman forward Sarah Jeffries netted in a pair, the first of which gave the Eagles a 2-0 lead at 32:35. By the end of the match, freshmen forwards Paula-Marie Labate and Annmarie Alvarez scored the first goals of their collegiate careers.

Consistent pressure put on by the Eagles highlighted the season opener. Biola made at least eight shots on goal and scored three goals in each period.

Keeping in their winning trend, the Eagles beat the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps College Athenas in their home opener. After a scoreless first period, Verduzco scored her third goal in two games to put the Eagles up 1-0 at 46:14. After the halftime break, senior midfield Jessie Burns gave Biola an insurance goal at 56:02. However, one goal would have sufficed for freshman goalkeeper Christina Rodriguez, who led the Eagles to their second shutout in a row.

Coming off of six goals in 2015, Verduzco is well on her way to score more goals in 2016 than she did the previous year. Her three goals came from seven shots, which gives her the best shooting percentage on the team with .429.

Undefeated start

Despite giving up their first goal of the season to Rocky Mountain College, the Eagles maintained their undefeated start with a victory over the Battlin’ Bears. After senior forward Taylor Venegas scored at 13:52, junior midfielder Ashley Ramirez and senior midfielder McKenna Marmelstein both scored two goals apiece to put the Eagles up 5-0 by 57:02.

Five goals proved more than enough as Biola held off the Battlin’ Bears’ late game surge. Rodriguez managed to hold Rocky Mountain to only one goal in eight attempts on target, giving Biola the 5-1 win. That one goal marked the only goal allowed by Rodriguez in 17 goal attempts made in three games.

Riding their undefeated momentum, the women’s soccer team will continue their season with a match against the Colorado Christian University Cougars on Friday, Sept. 9 at 2:30 p.m.