Biola men’s soccer kicked off PacWest competition on the road at Academy of Art University on Thursday. They got off to a hot start thanks to senior captain and midfielder Kousei Mattox’s goal and assist that propelled them to a 2-0 victory over the Urban Knights.

The Eagles came into the game trying to bounce back from two straight losses, and Mattox helped them do just that in the 24th minute. He ripped a free kick from 24 yards out that ricocheted off the inner post and into the goal. The defense did an excellent job repelling the Urban Knights attack, holding them to five shots total in the first half, while junior goalkeeper Luis Rodriguez tallied two saves to keep the score 1-0 going into halftime.

The offense continued to push and extended the lead in the 53rd minute when Mattox took another free kick that sophomore forward Jack MacDonald headed home for his first score as an Eagle. The defense looked even better in the second half, stopping Art U from taking a single shot in the entire second half. They also allowed the offense to keep position on the Uran Knights’ side of the field and dominate possession by clearing balls quickly, as the game ended in a 2-0 victory for Biola.

The Eagles (3-4-1, 1-0 PacWest) will look to continue momentum at Notre Dame De Namur University on Saturday at 12 p.m.